


Troubled By The Way We Came Together

by EspadaIV



Series: Carnival of Rust [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Angst, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Physical Comfort, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, First Time Blow Jobs, First time anal, Foursome, Foursome - F/F/M/M, Gangsters, Hurt/Comfort, Kinks, Lemon, M/M, Modern Era, Multi, Nefarious Characters, Nipple Piercings, Non Vanilla Sex, Oral Sex, PWP, Rimming, Rough Sex, Shameless Smut, Surprise Ending, Surprises, Threesome, Threesome - F/F/M, Threesome - F/M/M, tattooing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-09 20:21:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 77,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12896004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EspadaIV/pseuds/EspadaIV
Summary: Oh boy! Grimmjow kind of has a secret that he has to hide from Nel. He didn't plan on it happening. He can't let go of his side chick, especially since it's his friend's (former?) girlfriend. Someone comes back into their lives and the truth comes out. Things happen... The blue haired man now has to deal with two girlfriends and boy(friend), surprisingly. Things are looking up for them all as they plan on moving in together. Then the girls catch the eye of someone who plans on causing their little family a lot of pain.NOW HAS COVER ART





	1. Falling In Love Wasn't On My Mind

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy. As always, music is in the end notes!
> 
> Want a theme song for this fic? Purple Rain by Prince. Thank Gnil for the suggestion.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We begin our tale with Grimmjow wondering what the hell he was going to do about his situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hidey ho! Guess what? Didya forget about me? I'm back! This story was done for NaNoWriMo (November) 2017 and comes in 3 parts. This is part 2 of Carnival of Rust (LOL, I almost typed Lust then Ruts. What? Don't judge me.) I never, EVER said Ulquiorra died in COR. I alluded to it, you'll find out what happens. AND yes, Orihime is Grimmjow's dirty little secret. 
> 
> As always, music is in the end notes!
> 
> If this all confuses you, please feel free to read Part 1: CARNIVAL OF RUST.
> 
> Sex in the first chapter, right off the rip! Let's do this! Buckle up and get ready for a ride!

 

Grimmjow flopped onto his back, breath coming in gasps. The mattress on the floor was uncomfortable but he couldn't really say anything. He certainly couldn't do what he just did to the person next to him at his own apartment.

 

Nel would kill him.

 

It had been six months since anyone had seen or heard from Ulquiorra. Well, they'd heard of him. He had died. It had been three damn months since his friend's former girlfriend had a miscarriage. It had been six long months since she had genuinely smiled.

 

He didn't understand why Orihime's smile was so important to him. He looked over at the naked woman next to him. He could comprehend how Ulquiorra had fallen in love with her. Grimmjow was fighting the same feelings himself.

 

He saw her red hair in the twilight. He could see her tits rise and fall with every breath she took. She had gotten so pale over the past months. She still looked haunted, just like the night Ulquiorra was shot.

 

She lost a piece of herself the day his friend's family moved him to an unknown respiratory clinic. They refused to tell anyone of his whereabouts. When they searched various clinics over the city, no one could tell them if Ulquiorra was a patient or not. The last time Grimmjow called Ulquiorra's mother, she told him he'd died at the clinic, and there would be no funeral.

 

The stress of the entire situation had caused Orihime to lose the baby. Nel had sat with the woman that day. Grimmjow was shocked he had to drive the women to a maternity clinic. She had to have some surgery. Nel wouldn't tell him specifics, not that he wanted them because it sounded like an ordeal.

 

Grimmjow always thought the guy would be back soon. That he wasn't dead and he'd come back for Orihime's sake.

 

Then when three months passed, Grimmjow started having this sinking feeling that Ulquiorra was really dead. He knew the green-eyed man would have done anything to stay beside the woman. Ulquiorra risked his life for the chance to stay with her.

 

Now Grimmjow lay beside her, naked and almost out of breath. He remembered how this happened.

 

Was he proud of it? No.

 

Did he want to give it up? Again, no.

 

Two months ago, he'd been wandering around the city, just looking at the different shops. He didn't go into Tokyo often. He did not need to. He was a simple man with simple tastes. Pretty much everything he needed was in the town he lived in.

 

He hadn't realized it but Grimmjow was searching for a gift. A special gift. He didn't know if it was an appropriate thing to give someone but he hoped it would put a smile on her face for a fleeting second.

 

It was raining when he showed up at her apartment, later that night with it wrapped in his jacket for protection. Orihime had been surprised to see him. He apologized for disturbing her.

 

"It's okay, it's a welcomed distraction," she said and motioned for him to enter. "Come in. Would you like some tea?"

 

He declined the offer as he walked inside. He took his shoes off. Grimmjow watched her return to the small table and pick up the teacup. With a sigh, he moved towards the table and sat down in a lotus position. Nel said it was a part of yoga.

 

Whatever, it was a lot more comfortable than sitting on his feet.

 

The two sat in silence for a while before it grew too awkward for the man. He was used to noise. "I got you a gift," he said.

 

"Oh, thank you but you didn't have to Grimmjow. You didn't need to get me anything. It's not my birthday or any other special occasion."

 

He wasn't listening. He set the small statue on the table, waiting for a response. He didn't expect her to burst out crying. "What? Do you not like it? Did I offend you?"

 

Orihime shook her head. Grimmjow couldn't figure out why she was crying or what he'd done wrong. He stood up, deciding to leave when she asked him to stay. He didn't have a good feeling about it but he did as she asked.

 

He regarded her warily as she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his body. She was hugging him. He had been confused by the contact, but he returned the gesture. To his knowledge, he'd never touched her this intimately.

 

In his brain, he compared her to Nel. She was soft and yielding, where Nel was firm to his touch. She was short, Nel was taller. Both women had nice large tits, small waists, and round asses.

 

Was it crude to think of her this way? Yes.

 

Retrospectively, perhaps his line of thoughts is what started this whole mess. His hands slowly and gently traced the curve of her waist. She responded.

 

Oh boy, had she responded.

 

She came to life with his touch, becoming aggressive and pressing herself against him. Her kiss was urgent, her hands needy. It didn't take long before they were naked, on the floor and Grimmjow was slowly sinking his sizable length into her.

 

She gasped and moaned. He mostly held back and internally cursed at how damn tight she felt around him. He rolled them over so she was now on top of him. She squeaked as her body slid down on him.

 

The fucking began in earnest after that. If anyone were outside the apartment, they'd hear cries (whether or pleasure or pain, who knows), grunts and the distinct slap of bodies coming together. He hadn't minded when she screamed Ulquiorra's name. He bit his lip as she milked his body and he came with a strangled growl. After it was all said and done, she lay on his chest, crying.

 

Grimmjow felt like an asshole, so he stroked her back. He kept telling himself that this happened only to comfort her, that she needed it.

 

"Thank you for the Jizo statue," she murmured against his skin.

 

"Uh, yeah. You're welcome," Grimmjow said, embarrassed. Heartfelt expressions weren't his thing. She seemed to note his discomfort as she quickly got off him and excused herself.

 

Grimmjow told himself it would only happen once. That was it. He didn't want to dishonor his friendship with Ulquiorra any further. He dressed and left before she came back from the bathroom.

 

It was really late when he arrived back home. He was worn out and needed sleep. That redhead had drained him. If Nel asked where he'd been, he would just tell her that he had caught the last train home.

 

He came to find out though, Orihime's presence was a tease to him. He told himself when he went to Candy Ink Tattoos after it happened that he wasn't raking his eyes over her body or pleased how she blushed when she caught his glances. He had to remind himself to behave and not reach out to her when she was at his apartment visiting with Nel.

 

One night that they were hanging out, he managed to corner her in the hallway out of sight from Nel. He groped her tits and ass. She tried to kiss him, but Grimmjow stopped her. He had whispered in her ears how this wasn't the place for stuff that would give them away. He started calling her Princess.

 

Nel asked him why he gave her that pet name. He lied to her, saying how she acted like a princess who was spoiled at times thinking no one had ever gone through the pain of losing someone. Nel nodded her head and agreed with him. He knew what she called Orihime. Doll.

 

Somehow her number ended up in his phone. He got pictures of her. He sent her texts. He set up times to see her. He felt fucking awful about this entire thing, but he couldn't stop himself. Some people would have said he was cheating but, Nel had agreed to an open relationship. It had been set up this way because the teal haired woman felt that Grimmjow would be happier in an open relationship rather than a monogamous one.

 

There were rules though and they had been outlined.

 

  1. _Tell Nel about other person._

  2. _No staying the night at other person's house._

  3. _No talking about interactions with other person._

  4. _Don't fall in love with other person._




 

Well, he hadn't gotten around to telling Nel that he was basically fucking her employee and friend on a regular basis whenever he could, which was often. So that was one rule broken.

 

Nel had brought up the fact that he had come home late that night. He lied to her again and said that he took the last train home, it had been terribly late once he got to the train station and into his car. So technically, he hadn't stayed overnight at Orihime's. He had been home before the sun came up. One rule NOT broken.

 

And if he'd never gotten around to telling Nel that he was fucking the redhead then he wasn't going to talk about what he was doing. Another rule not broken.

 

The love thing... Well, he was currently trying to convince himself that he wasn't in love. He wasn't sure if he was breaking that rule or not.

 

There'd been once upon a time that he'd been happy and monogamous. He'd been happy with just Nel. He told himself that he was happy and going to marry the woman with the bright teal hair. Why did Ulquiorra have to open his damn mouth about the redhead?

 

Ever since then, he'd been even more curious about the young woman. He'd seen her naked two times. Once was when Ulquiorra had asked for a form of protection (he had snuck out to peek at the couple on his couch). The second time was when Nel had caught the men spying on the women when they were practicing a lap dance. Somewhere between the time, he took Nel into their bedroom and fifteen or twenty minutes later, she had lost most of her outfit.

 

Nel had confronted him about harassing Orihime. He blew her off stating he had a fantasy in his overactive imaginative brain. He'd been the one cleaning up, finding the ripped scrap of fabric of underwear and the leather shorts. He had jerked off onto the items then threw them away after he was done.

 

The next time he was in her apartment as soon as the door closed, clothes were flying, and he had her against the wall; her legs around his waist, driving into her. It was only after he'd been satisfied that he noticed the Jizo statute sitting on the same table with a pink bear, a picture of her brother and a photo of Ulquiorra. Orihime told him it was a makeshift altar to those she'd lost.

 

He nodded then left after making himself decent.

 

That's how it was for the first month. Grimmjow would find her, they'd have sex and then he'd quickly leave before things got awkward. He would touch her when he knew they wouldn't be caught. He rarely kissed her outside of her apartment.

 

He knew a couple things about the young woman before he even started out on this adventure. It was important that he remembered these things.

 

  1. _Orihime was very prone to bruising._

 




He didn't leave any marks on her that could be seen as evidence. There were no hickeys or bite on her. He didn't grip any part of her skin that people would actually see. As much as he would love to hold or tie her wrist together, he refrained.

 

  1. _When she became aroused or had been kissed repeatedly, her lips would slightly swell and her face would flush. The same thing happened when she had an orgasm too._




 

Thus why he never kissed her when there was someone else around who could comment on her appearance.

 

Did he feel guilty about knowing this? Somewhat but this was all information that Ulquiorra had given him. Sure, his friend had told him this information because he needed advice but Grimmjow still retained the knowledge. The orgasm thing he had found out on his own.

 

However, the second month of this just sex relationship, he found himself seeking her out more. They talked and texted about nonsensical subjects. He had grown closer to her. Grimmjow hated himself, but he could not stop. He was the master of destruction. He found that he could destroy his own life very easily.

 

It became so much pressure and stress that he just left the apartment when Nel walked in with Orihime. He couldn't stand being around both of them and only get to touch one. He knew he was putting himself in invidious situations whenever he touched Nel in front of Orihime. He saw the resentful expression on the red head's face after he would kiss his girlfriend. It would only be there for a second, but it was enough to make him worry. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa - Scared to Be Lonely  
> The Megas - Continue  
> Counting Crows - Colorblind  
> Nicki Minaj - I get Crazy  
> Kelis - Millionaire


	2. A Hint of Animosity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our favorite monotone boy is back and we find out what happened... Grimmjow is NOT happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> Guess who's back, back again. Ulquiorra's back, tell yo friends... Yeah, that was an Eminem reference.
> 
> If you've not gathered. I'm insane.
> 
> So, the place I visited when in Japan was Nikko, Togichi Prefecture and Utsunomiya. The family I stayed with was rude. The little granny (Nana-san) was constantly yelling at everyone. I thought all Japanese people were polite but these people, wow. They were awesome though. I modeled Ulquiorra's family after them. His aunt was modeled after Nana-san, RIP. She's been gone for about 5 years now but still. I miss that old spitfire.

“I'm fine, Mother,” the green-eyed man said in a vexed tone to the woman hovering over him. Ulquiorra was beyond annoyed. He was unhappy with his mom, his aunt, the damn cousin who thought he was lord and master over the affairs of the house. All he had done was coughed, and she had run to his side.

 

Ulquiorra knew he abandoned his family and the ties to it. He had only turned his back on them because they had done the same thing to him years ago. His aunt told him that he was a weak soul and they had made him stronger by denying affection to him.

 

No, it made him a freak of nature because he had to learn how to deal with emotions on his own. He hadn't been able to process them. He nearly went crazy and insane as he fought with himself over it.

 

It had been six months since he had been wounded. It had been six months since he'd seen Orihime. He didn't remember much about that night but he knew that he had heard her scream for him. He had woken up in some clinic near his parent's home. He'd been told that he had been in a coma for four months. His mother had taken him back to her house once the doctor released him.

 

The entire two months he lived here, he hated it. He had no privacy. He had no access to a phone. He couldn't go anywhere because he was always watched. The only place he was taken was to the clinic when he had an appointment. When he first woke up, he'd asked about Grimmjow and Orihime but his mother told him that he had been alone in the hospital. No one had visited him.

 

His mother had to be lying because he had heard both his girlfriend's and Grimmjow's voices. He'd also listened to a damn annoying beep over and over. But the old woman maintained that she saw no one at the hospital, and no one came to the clinic to visit him.

 

What happened that night? He had been at work. He thought he was going to propose to Orihime, or at least give her a ring to tell her how much she meant to him. The four of them, Nel, Grimmjow, Orihime and himself had exited Candy Ink Tattoo. There were loud noises. Blood. Pain. Screaming. Then he woke up in a white room with a bland view with his mother sitting in a chair by his bed.

 

He had to take breathing treatments. The doctors had told his mother that his lungs were delicate because of the bullets that had passed through one of them. He had to have physical therapy because of how long his arms and legs had been dormant. His mother treated him like a damn invalid.

 

Ulquiorra was continually trying to recall things before he was shot, before the coma. Grimmjow was going to propose to Nel. Rangiku and Shuhei were going to have a baby. Orihime was pregnant. The last mental statement made him swallow a whole lot of guilt.

 

That had been his fault. He'd been selfish. He hadn't cared about the consequences of his actions when they had unprotected sex. He found out by seeing the pregnancy test box in the bathroom. When she told him the news, he'd been shocked. Astonished. Stunned. Dumbfounded. Floored. Surprised.

 

She was afraid he'd leave her. He told her that her fears were trivial. He'd never leave her and that they would get through this, it was only a tiny snag. Then Shinji called about Aizen. There was a peaceful lull and then nothing.

 

In the end, Ulquiorra guessed her fears were justified. He had left her but not by choice.

 

When he left for America and came back, hadn't she said she was going to wait around for him for six months? He'd been gone five months then. It'd been six months since he'd seen her. He'd experienced nothing for four months. The past two months had been the same monotonous activities day after day. Eat, sleep, rest, watch people play gamble or gossip. He never got the chance to draw anymore.

 

He could feel a headache starting between his eyes and he pinched the bridge of his nose. All this stress surrounded him and it was caused by everyone else. All he wanted was some isolation from everyone who lived in this damn house! He wanted a moment to think about his damn life. He wanted to make decisions about his life again.

 

He waited until everyone was asleep. He pulled on jeans, a t-shirt then he crept down the stairs of the two-story house. He picked up the phone and dialed Grimmjow's number.

 

His friend sounded out of breath when he answered. “H-H-Hello?” Grimmjow huffed. Ulquiorra heard the man give a low hiss.

 

“Grimmjow? You okay?” He asked quietly. He didn't want to raise his voice because he didn't want to wake anyone.

 

“Holy shit.”

 

The phone went silent, but Ulquiorra could hear some rustling and a female whispering. It was muffled. “Hello?”

 

“Yeah man, I'm here,” Grimmjow replied. sounding different. “I was... It doesn't matter. How are you? You're alive?”

 

Ulquiorra didn't like Grimmjow's tone. He couldn't put a finger what sounded off, but he dismissed it. The guy was probably stunned. It must have been a shock to hear from someone after six months. “Yeah, I, uh, I'm okay. Can you pick me up?”

 

“I can just tell me where you are,” the other man replied although it was hesitant.

 

“I'm at my mom's house. I need to see Orihime.”

 

Ulquiorra listened as Grimmjow's breathing became different. He heard a sigh. “Yeah, sure, it's kind of late though. Can we do this tomorrow?”

 

The dark-haired man looked around and then took the phone away from his ear to listen to the sounds in the house. “Look, I need to do this now. I've been kept here for two months. I'll explain it all later. I'll be waiting outside for you.”

 

Grimmjow confirmed he'd be there as soon as possible. Ulquiorra couldn't help feel elated that he was going to get to see Orihime and get the hell away from these people that were his so-called family. He quietly hung up the phone and tiptoed further down the hall to where the shoes were all lined up. He grabbed his coat and opened the door just enough for him to exit.

 

He would take nothing with him. Not the medications or anything that had been bought for him.

 

He knew his mother would be upset but he was doing this for his own good. He'd call her later and tell her he went back to his apartment. Ulquiorra knew that was the one safe place he could go. The apartment had been paid off months ago by the commission that Aizen had paid him. It hadn't felt right to save the money if the man that had paid him was going to kill him.

 

Standing outside, Ulquiorra waited about twenty minutes in the cold night air, waiting for Grimmjow. The man pulled up to the house in the beat up old Honda. His face actually broke into a smile as he stared at the man with the blue hair. He didn't even look back as he ran to the car.

 

As soon as he was in the warm interior of the car, he motioned for Grimmjow to go. He wanted to be gone from the place. He took a moment to close his eyes and take a deep breath as the car moved. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and looked over at Grimmjow.

 

The man's hair was longer and messed up. Ulquiorra could see the dark roots poking through the electric blue color. Grimmjow looked flustered and agitated. There was something else in his eyes that the dark haired man could not place. “You okay?”

 

“Yeah. Yeah. Just driving,” the other man replied.

 

“I heard Nel on the phone. I hope I wasn't disturbing you.”

 

Grimmjow bark of laughter which startled Ulquiorra. “Nah, it's okay.”

 

“You've must have seen Orihime while I was in the hospital. How is she? Did she have the baby already? Can I use your phone to call her? I want to tell her that I'm on my way—”

 

“No!” The man's words were like an explosion. Ulquiorra jumped slightly. “I mean, look, man, it's late. She's probably asleep.”

 

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow. When had Grimmjow cared about how late it was? The way he said no almost sounded defensive. “I have to talk to Orihime; she has my only spare key. Are you sure you're okay?”

 

“I'm fine, Ulquiorra. I'm just—I've not seen you in six fucking months. We thought you died. Your mom—Just fuck man! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” With every explicit word, the man yelled he hit the steering wheel.

 

The dark-haired man was silent for a long time. Something was definitely wrong with Grimmjow. Ulquiorra knew though that his friend wouldn't tell him what was wrong, no matter how many times he asked. “How's Nel?”

 

He seemed to calm down a little. “She's fine. Rangiku had a baby boy about a month ago. Pesche and Renji still are working. Rukia came back from her family's place. Renji is dating Rukia though, and they have fights in the shop. Drives Nel fucking crazy.”

 

“Is Orihime still working?” Ulquiorra noticed that Grimmjow's hands tightened on the steering wheel. His eyes narrowed somewhat. What did Grimmjow have against her? “I'm just curious. I mean with the pregnancy and all.”

 

“Yeah, she's still working,” came the curt reply.

 

Ulquiorra finally got the hint. Grimmjow didn't want to talk about Orihime for some reason. He turned his attention from his friend to the dark scenery outside. He had an uneasy feeling inside him that he couldn't shake. He couldn't rationalize it away.

 

They drove about fifteen more minutes in silence before Grimmjow pulled up to the building and cut the engine. Ulquiorra looked up at the window and felt relieved. Orihime's light was on, despite it being two in the morning. He threw open the car door and practically ran up the stairs. He had to catch his breath at the top.

 

He realized that he was giddy. It was probably adrenaline from his escape and Grimmjow's weird behavior. It also had to be his nerves because he had not seen his girlfriend for months. He turned around to see if Grimmjow had left because he hadn't heard the car restart. He could see the man still sitting in the car and was talking on the phone in an animated fashion. A few moments later, the blue-haired man exited the car and joined him on the landing.

 

Grimmjow's footsteps didn't sit well with him at that moment for some reason. Ulquiorra didn't say anything, but that little seed of discontent came back. He took a deep breath before he knocked on the wood surface.

 

He heard footsteps and then locks being disengaged. Slowly the door opened, revealing Orihime. Her face, her hair, her body. Ulquiorra wanted to rush forward and hug her, but he noticed something that stopped him. She was thinner. There was no fullness to her body that he had last experienced. Her face had shadows that he'd never seen before. Her eyes had a look in them that could only be described as tormented.

 

She had suffered in his absence.

 

“Orihime?”

 

“Ulquiorra.”

 

The sound of her voice was beautiful. He scooped her up into a hug and kissed her neck. “Woman, I've missed you,” he whispered in her ear. His arms wrapped around her tightly.

 

He definitely missed the silent conversation that was going on behind his head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Casey Stratton - Questions.  
> Catherine Feeny - Mr. Blue  
> Andy Black - 21 Guns  
> Coldplay - See You Soon


	3. I Defy You, Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orihime doesn't know if she can deal with this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.

Orihime had almost been overcome with pleasure then Grimmjow's phone began to ring. At first, she had been afraid it was Nel. If it were her, he wouldn't answer it. The man had paused his movements and looked at the screen. He swore softly.

 

She was going to come, and he stopped. Orihime kept rocking her hips against him as he answered the phone and put it up to his ear.

 

“H-H-Hello?”

 

Orihime smiled as Grimmjow glared at her. She knew he was close to coming. He was having a hard time keeping control of his voice because he hissed when she rolled her hips in a slow motion. He shook his head at her and grabbed her one of her thighs with his free hand.

 

The person must have answered because she saw his ice blue eyes become wide with fear or surprise, she wasn't really positive what it looked like until she heard him say, “Holy shit.”

 

Grimmjow swiftly had disengaged their bodies and stood up. He put his hand on the bottom of the phone.

 

“What are you—”

 

“Shut up. I have to go.”

 

“Is it Nel?”

 

“No. Ulquiorra,” he stated as quietly as he could. He uncovered the phone. “Yeah man, I'm here. I was... It doesn't matter. How are you? You're alive?”

 

Her stomach bottomed out. Ulquiorra was on the phone? How was that possible? His mother had told them that he had died at the clinic. What did he mean Ulquiorra was on the phone? Orihime looked at Grimmjow with a slightly horrified expression on her face.

 

“I can just tell me where you are,” he said running his fingers through the already messy hair. There was a pause. “Yeah, sure, it's kind of late though. Can we do this tomorrow?”

 

Another heavy pause. “Yeah, I'll be there as quick as I can.”

 

When he hung up the phone, he looked down at the woman laying on the futon. Frustration, anger, and fear were all over his features. They intermingled and mixed as he tried to speak. Finally, he just shook his head.

 

“What?” she said, panic heard in her tone. “What do you mean it's Ulquiorra? Grimmjow, answer me!”

 

“He wants me to come pick him up. He wants to come here. Fuck!”

 

“What? He's dead. You said his mother said—”

 

“I know what I said. I know what I was told! That was him. That was his voice, Orihime,” Grimmjow shot back at her, anger coming to the surface. “Fuck.”

 

The sensual mood that had been in the atmosphere quickly drained and the seriousness of the situation hit her. “What are we going to do?” she asked, looking over at Grimmjow who was getting dressed by pulling up his boxers and jeans.

 

“We? Princess, there is no we anymore. We go back to being acquaintances. How the hell do you expect to keep this up with him next door?” Grimmjow said as he pulled his t-shirt onto his torso.

 

She could feel a heaviness in her chest as she heard what he said. The tears welled up in her eyes. Was he telling her it was over? Just like that? “I could tell him I moved on. I'm over him,” she replied. Orihime was trying so hard not to cry but ended up doing so anyway.

 

Since hearing of Ulquiorra's supposed death, she took comfort in Grimmjow. He took the place of the dark-haired man. She found herself jealous that Nel got to sleep beside him at night. She hated seeing the two touch, but she had to tolerate it.

 

She had fallen in love with him. She didn't mean too, but he had a charm about him that made it irresistible to stop. She always thought about him when he wasn't around her. She blushed when she saw him. He made her smile. Grimmjow had never broken her heart... Yet.

 

“Dammit, Princess.”

 

“Don't I have a say in this?” she said. “Don't I get a choice? This would be twice he's left me! All he has done is caused me pain!”

 

He sighed, “Orihime, stop. Do you think this has been easy for me? If you tell him that we're together, don't you think he'd go to Nel and ask questions?”

 

“All you have to do is tell Nel.”

 

He scoffed at this statement, “Nel would murder me if she found out I was fucking you.”

 

Her bottom lip jutted out, and more tears came to her eyes. She felt horrible at that moment. She felt used, a piece of trash someone had crumpled up and tossed away. Grimmjow must not have felt the same way as she did. All she had been was someone to have sex with. This thought tore her apart, and a sob ripped through her.

 

“Dammit,” he said again softly. She stared at the floor as he walked over to where she was still sitting on the futon. He grabbed her by the arms and hauled her up. His arms encircled her waist, and Orihime was off the ground, looking into his eyes. She wrapped her legs around him. “Princess, I'm just trying to protect you. I'm trying to protect us. Don't you think I'm not going to look at you and get pissed off that he's touching you? I'm gonna get jealous just like you get jealous.”

 

Another sob came from her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Let me come with you, please. I won't say anything. I'll just pretend to be happy to see him, and I'll act normally.”

 

“Princess,” he whispered to her and nudged her face with his. “We would be a dead giveaway. I love looking at you too much. I love touching you. You know this. Nel has noticed the looks. Ulquiorra is way too observant for you to show up with me. He would have that entire time to study us. And...”

 

When he trailed off, Orihime looked at him. “What?” she asked, eyes full of worry.

 

“I'd fucking kill him if he touched you in my car. I'm the only person who fucks in my car. I planned to show you that one of these days,” he said, his voice becoming deeper and sultry.

 

Her knees felt like jelly when he said that and she closed her eyes, seeking his mouth out with hers. The deep groan that came from his lips had a calming effect on her. Her mouth parted slightly, and Grimmjow knew what to do. He kissed her back just as fiercely.

 

As quick as the kiss started, it ended with him untangling her limbs from his body and setting her on the floor. “Dammit,” he breathed, his forehead resting against hers. “I've got to go. You need to get dressed.”

 

“But I want to come! I didn't get off,” she pouted, trying to distract him from this mission of ridiculousness. With Grimmjow, a good time was to be expected. He always made sure she was first to that finish line of bliss, and he didn't disappoint. With him, she became a woman who wanted that satisfaction.

 

She didn't want Ulquiorra to come back. He could stay where ever he had been. She didn't need or want the baggage that came with him.

 

“Neither have I,” Grimmjow pointed out. He stood up as if to make a point to show her the new erection in his jeans. “Be a good girl and please, do as I ask.”

 

He had left after that. Orihime had started sobbing when she saw his car pull away. She desperately hoped this wasn't the end of the thing she had with Grimmjow. She had grown too attached to him for it to end.

 

After she got dressed in a bright blue hoodie and a pair of pajama pants, she cleaned up her apartment, trying to mask the scent of sex and get rid of anything that would suggest she'd been up to no good. Then she walked over to her altar and sat down in front of it. The photograph of her brother stared at her along with the picture of Ulquiorra which she should have put away months ago. The Jizo statue sat in between them, staring blankly at her with a slightly amused expression.

 

Her head bowed as she sent a silent prayer up to whoever was listening that she could have the slice of peace she had held onto for a bit longer. When she was done, she sat back and stared at that wooden statue. She had wanted some form of healing and Grimmjow had brought it to her. He seemed to know what she needed.

 

Sometimes when she was really lonely, and it was raining, her arms and womb ached. The miscarriage had been horrible. The cramping. The blood. The crying. Nel was telling her that it was for the best. Grimmjow looking uncomfortable as he drove her to the maternity clinic. The surgery and pain afterward. The emotional numbing and then the whole cycle of grief. Grimmjow had been there.

 

She'd been almost sixteen weeks into the pregnancy. She had a name picked out, hoping the fetus was a girl. Several weeks after it happened she went back to the doctor and asked for birth control. She didn't want to experience anything like that ever again.

 

Before she knew it, her phone rang. It was Grimmjow. She answered the phone. “Hello?” she asked expectantly.

 

“Princess, he's outside your door,” came the gruff reply. “I think I'm going to head home.”

 

“Don't please,” she said. “Please Grimmjow, come inside with him. I don't want to—”

 

“Orihime, I can't!”

 

She frowned and walked over to the window. She saw the blue-haired man sitting in the car. “Why?”

 

“Because,” he sounded strained. “Please Princess, don't make me do this. I can't stand—I can't bear the thought—I yelled at the guy driving here.”

 

Her eyes closed as more tears slipped down her face. When she opened them, she could see him looking up at her. “The jealousy will eat away at you; you know that, right?”

 

With a sigh, Orihime watched as the man hung up his phone and got out of the car. The knock came, and she procrastinated as long as she could to stall seeing him again. Once the door was open, her breath was knocked from her lungs. Ulquiorra's live face was nothing compared to the photographs she had stared at for months. She almost wanted to reach out and touch the face, but then she saw Grimmjow standing behind him.

 

The dark-haired man pulled her into a hug and kissed her neck. He said something to her, but Orihime wasn't paying any attention. She watched his jaw tightened as she brought her arms up and hugged him back. His eyes narrowed when Ulquiorra talked. Grimmjow's fist clenched in anger as his hands ran down her body.

 

Tears fell out of her eyes. Karma was going to be a bitch to both of them.

 

She pulled away from Ulquiorra and invited both men inside. Then she went to the kitchen and started her to boil water for tea. She knew she was going to need it. How was she going to get through this? Once upon a time when there was only Ulquiorra, Ichigo had felt all wrong to her. Now that Grimmjow was in the picture, Ulquiorra felt all wrong.

 

It was definitely goodbye to halcyon days. The sob she let out wasn't meant to be heard by anyone.

 

It was the dark haired man who came into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Hey, come sit down. I can make you tea. Orihime, I'm not leaving you again. You don't have to cry,” he said to her.

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Grimmjow turn his head away from the pair. She let Ulquiorra lead her to the small table, where she sank down to her knees. Her head was pointed down so that she didn't have to look at anyone.

 

The tea kettle whistled moments later, and she heard Ulquiorra opening cabinets. Soon, she had a steaming cup of tea sitting in front of her, and the dark haired man was sitting beside her. “Grimmjow, sit. I don't want to tell this story any more times than I have to. But I have some questions for you two first. I know you have questions for me. I'll answer them.”

 

“Okay,” she murmured. That numb feeling was starting to set in again. It dulled the pain of the heartache she was feeling. She heard him sigh as Grimmjow sat across from her. Her eyes glanced at the man across from her whose face had become unreadable.

 

“Okay, uh, I guess the big question is, where's the baby?”

 

Before she started crying again, Orihime saw Grimmjow eyes slid closed as his mouth let out a soft explicit word.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chantal Kreviazuk - Feels like Home  
> Story of the Year - Until The Day I Die  
> Halsey - Bad at Love  
> Wendy Matthews – The Day You Went Away  
> Five Finger Death Punch – The Bleeding  
> Diddy ft. Skylar Grey - Coming Home (Shato & Paul Rockseek Bootleg)


	4. Of Assumptions and Accusations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ulquiorra finds out and Nel makes assumptions based on what she has seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.

Grimmjow wanted to strangle his friend. The first question out of the guy's mouth was about that damn baby she had lost! Did he not look around? Did he see there were no baby items anywhere? Didn't he notice she wasn't pregnant? Did he not see the damn statue with its red hat, sitting on that altar with her dead brother and the picture of him?

 

Ulquiorra was reaching out to calm her, but she kept shaking her head. The blue-haired man's fists wanted to slam into the other man repeatedly. He didn't think he could get any angrier.

 

He was wrong.

 

His phone rang.

 

With a grunt of irritation, he pulled it out of his pocket, looking at the screen. It was Nel. This was all he needed. “Hello?”

 

“Why are you not home? Where the hell are you?” the woman shouted at him. “Don't say you took the last train home from the city. Your car isn't at the train station!”

 

A sigh. He had to keep calm while on the phone with her. “Nel, I'm at Orihime's. I—” He saw the panic on Orihime's face when he said that. Ulquiorra must have taken the expression as something else because Grimmjow watched him cup her face with his fingers.

 

“HA!” the woman snarled, which angered him further. “I knew there was something going on between the two of you! How long has it been going on? Are you—”

 

“I brought Ulquiorra here.” His words weren't meant to be that short. He couldn't take his anger out on Nel. She had hit the nail on the head so to speak but he wasn't going to admit to anything.

 

“What? What do you mean you brought Ulquiorra there? He's dead.”

 

“I received a call from him about ninety minutes ago when I was at my workshop finishing up that bookshelf,” Grimmjow muttered. “He's alive and well, I can assure you that. I'm looking right at him.”

 

“Are you serious? He is there right now?”

 

Grimmjow ran his free hand through his hair. He couldn't control the words that flew from his mouth. “Yes, he's sitting beside me! Jeez. Do you not fucking believe me? Do you want to talk to him?”

 

There was silence on the other end of the line. “Look, I'm just—You've not been yourself for the past two months. Your either working late or you're constantly going to the gym. Not that I mind—”

 

He interrupted her again. His voice bristled with animosity. “Nel, do you want to talk to him to confirm what I said or not?”

 

Pause. “No. I'm gonna go to bed, be quiet when you come in.”

 

Grimmjow pressed the end call button and looked at the two other people in the room. They were eyeing at him with two different expressions. The male's face showed concern while the female's was pained. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, trying to will away his emotions like Ulquiorra could. When he calmed down, he looked at the two. “Nel, she's kinda shocked at the news.”

 

“Oh,” Orihime murmured. “It is a lot to take in.”

 

“I guess I should tell you guys what has happened over the past six months,” Ulquiorra said. “Before I start asking questions.”

 

This made Grimmjow snort. He couldn't help himself by saying, “Yeah, you should tell us what the fuck happened to you before you just start asking obvious questions.”

 

The green eyes narrowed in his directions. “What does that mean?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra cleared his throat. His throat felt itchy. Maybe he should have grabbed the inhalation medication that the clinic had given him. He stood up and said, “I need some water.”

 

While he moved into the kitchen, he had to admit, there was something akin to contempt going on between Grimmjow and Orihime. His friend had been acting weird since he had called him. What had happened in the time he'd been absent?

 

He reached into the cabinet where the glasses were kept and quickly filled one with liquid. He turned back around to see Grimmjow's face set in a deep scowl and his girlfriend looking down at the table top. He returned to his position beside Orihime with his glass.

 

“I know I was shot. I remember that. I don't remember anything other than people screaming after that. My mom said the hospital called her after four days and that the hospital gave her none of my belongings when she came to visit me. She said no one had visited me. I was moved to a respiratory clinic after that. I was in a coma for four months. Again she said no one visited me though she called you and told you where I was at.

 

About two months ago I woke up. I was released and then taken to my mother's house. I was kept a prisoner. She told me none of the people I thought were friends had stuck by me.”

 

“What?” came the gasp from Orihime. She sounded offended.

 

“We stayed at the hospital for four days straight,” Grimmjow said. “Your mom came after I called her. When she arrived, she told us to go home and get some rest! When we—” Ulquiorra saw Grimmjow point at himself and Orihime. “—came back after a couple of hours, you were gone. Nothing was in that hospital room that said it had been occupied. I called her constantly! After she told us she had you moved to a different clinic, we went searching for you. No one would or could tell us if you were a patient there or not!”

 

This news made Ulquiorra sigh. “So she lied to me,” he said quietly. “My mom tried to convince me I had been mugged. She doesn't know I remember before I got shot. I never said anything. Do you guys know where my wallet, phone or keys are located?”

 

“One of the nurses gave them to me,” Orihime said softly. “I brought them home. I'll get them for you.”

 

The dark haired man saw Orihime start to stand, but Grimmjow shot up. His eyebrows raised as the tall man walked over to a bookshelf and pulled a box off the top of it. How would Grimmjow know where Orihime had put his things?

 

He looked questioningly at his friend who handed him the box. “I put it there,” Grimmjow said with a shrug. “Orihime and I spent a lot of time together looking for you. I came over one day to start searching for you again and she was practically climbing the damn furniture when I put it up there.”

 

That made sense. He nodded and put the box on the table. “Like I said I was a prisoner at my mother's house. My relatives that lived there were constantly watching me. I couldn't go anywhere without someone beside me. My mom said it was because I was frail. My health wasn't good enough to be by myself. I came up with this plan that would allow me to essentially escape.

 

I had had enough of my mom hovering every time I coughed. I understand she was worried, but this took it to a new level.”

 

“You couldn't implement it sooner? Why didn't you do it the moment you woke up? I'm sure the clinic had a phone!” Grimmjow asked. Ulquiorra saw that the man was trying to mask his ire. He turned and looked at Orihime who had started crying again.

 

“I was under sedation for a while. I was given pills to make me sleep a lot.”

 

The tall man scoffed. “Tch, your mom told us about three months ago that you died when I called her. That you died from an infection in your lungs. I asked when the funeral was and she said that there wasn't going to be one, you were just being cremated.”

 

Ulquiorra's throat tightened. His mother had said what? His eyes darted between the man and woman. “She said what? Are you—”

 

“Yeah, she told us that you died,” Grimmjow repeated.

 

Well, that answered a lot of questions that hadn't been adding up. Ulquiorra's discontent melted away. “I can see why you guys are shocked at why I'm here now. What you've told me explains your behavior.”

 

“There's something else you should know.”

 

* * *

 

Orihime's eyes went wild with panic when Grimmjow said that. What was he thinking? What was he going to say? It was bad enough that he had told Nel that he was at her house! She had to swallow the lump forming in her throat, and her breath became rapid and shallow.

 

She was trying to compose herself, but it wasn't working. Her brain wasn't listening to logic. It was running rampant with what words would come out of Grimmjow's mouth.

 

“Orihime should tell you, and I should leave,” Grimmjow said finally. “It's a matter between the two of you.”

 

“No!” she blurted out. Her mouth became a straight line as Grimmjow glared at her. “What?”

 

Grimmjow said nothing and sighed. What did he want her to tell Ulquiorra? What did he want the other man to know?

 

“What do I need to know, Woman?”

 

That voice. That damn voice that would hypnotize her in the past just annoyed her. Silky and smooth underlined with dominance. Ulquiorra had no control over her anymore. She could think independently without him. She couldn't show him that, he'd most likely note the change immediately. She internally built walls around that part of her. She didn't want to become the simpering female again but she had to put on a show.

 

The man sitting across from her gave her a leveled stare, and his head tipped towards the altar. He wanted her to tell him about the—Oh. She started stammering, “I mean Grimmjow shouldn't leave. You should have—You're going to need—”

 

“What?”

 

“I—I—I lost the baby after your mother said you were dead. Grimmjow told me the news and—”

 

“What?” Ulquiorra's voice climbed several decibels. “You lost—What happened?”

 

Orihime opened her mouth to explain. She was grateful when Grimmjow decided to tell him. “I only know what happened because Nel and I were here with her. Orihime started bleeding, heavily. After two days of it, Nel decided that she needed to go to the clinic to get checked out. Well, while in the car—I don't really know but she said—”

 

“The doctors said I started having contractions because my body was getting rid of the baby,” Orihime said quietly. “They said the most likely cause of me having a miscarriage was the amount of stress I was under. You'd gotten shot. I wasn't sleeping after we couldn't find you. My aunt was pressuring me about university. The news of your death was the final straw. I was a mess.

 

They said it wasn't my fault and perhaps it was for the best that it happened this way. That the body had a way of rejecting things. I had to have a surgery and—” She looked up at Ulquiorra's face to see the raw pain written in his expression. Orihime's heart broke for the second time that night.

 

He was crushed by this news.

 

She watched as Ulquiorra grabbed the small cardboard box off the table and stood. He looked unsteady on his feet. Grimmjow's hand shot out to support the man. “Where are you going?” the tall man asked.

 

“I don't know,” Ulquiorra replied. “I have to process this... I need space. I guess I'm leaving.”

 

Orihime had never seen the dark haired man look like he'd been this devastated before. She never heard him sound so lost. He always had seemed composed, even at his worst. He shrugged off Grimmjow's hand and walked over to the door.

 

It opened and shut quietly with a click.

 

* * *

 

Nel had been laying in the darkness for hours when she heard the metal door to the apartment swing open. Different thoughts had been rolling through her head and none of them were good. She was sure Grimmjow was having an affair of some sort. His behavior had changed over the past several months. He had started locking his phone. Whenever she brought Orihime around recently, he made excuses to leave the apartment or disappear into their bedroom.

 

She liked to watch people. She wanted to study them then determine the best strategy to deal with them. She saw people internalized things. She saw their struggles. Nel knew that her boyfriend was conflicted about a problem. The height of the confrontation always showed up when the red head was around.

 

Every time she was in her office, and Grimmjow walked through the door of her business, she saw the looks the man gave the young woman. They were very similar to the looks she had received from him. The primal hunger mixed with yearning. There were desire and tenderness also.

 

Had something happened between her boyfriend and employee-slash-friend?

 

The teal haired woman had said nothing but she continued to watch over the weeks. Grimmjow stayed out later than normal, saying he was working late or he was going to the gym. He always came home exhausted, reeking of sweat and the faint scent of something she could not place. She knew not to initiate any kind of sexual contact with him because he'd claim he was tired.

 

Coming back to the present, she heard his keys hit the counter in the kitchen. His boots thudded to the floor. She heard his jacket brush against the brick wall where the coat rack was. He'd be walking through that door in a few seconds, stripping his t-shirt off and followed by the rest of his clothes. They'd fly through the air to miss the dirty clothes basket. Then he'd flop into the bed.

 

The door flew open and she saw him walk through the dim light, his shirt already over his head. It fell with a soft plop on the floor. The jeans rustled as they puddled around his feet. He bent over to retrieve the items in the pockets, setting them on his dresser.  
  
Nel knew the phone, and the wallet went on top of the piece of wood furniture. She'd watched him do it for several years now.

 

“You're awake,” he said.

 

“How did you know?”

 

It was quiet for a moment. “You sleep on your stomach your arm hugging your pillow with a leg hiked up and over another pillow. You've never have slept on your back. The way you sleep is one of my favorite things about you. I've fucked you many times like that because it gives me easy access.”

 

Nel's eyebrows shot up at this. She had assumed that Grimmjow mostly fell asleep after they sex. Most of the time he did. He'd cuddle up to her back and she'd hear his breathing change soon after ward. When she knew he was asleep she'd change position and go to sleep.

 

“Do you want to fuck?” His voice had a jaded tone.

 

“You don't sound like you'd be into it at the moment,” Nel replied.

 

“I'm tired Nel.”

 

“Then why ask?” she questioned before sitting up. She reached over and turned on her bedside lamp. Her eyes studied his appearance. His hair was a mess and sticking up in spots. His face said one thing while his eyes showed anger. Her eyes moved down the rest of his body.

 

He had a great physique. He was muscled and lean. He took care of his body. He had tattoos that decorated his skin. He had a nice dick. She couldn't help feel that stirring of arousal which she quieted down. There was a crisis on the edge of the horizon that was threatening her world, and she needed to take care of it before it got out of hand.

 

“What?” he asked.

 

How would she go about taking care of the situation when she didn't really know what was going on? Nel's first fear when she realized something was different about Grimmjow had been the whole Ulquiorra thing. The dark-haired man was pretty much his best friend; now he was gone.

 

The second fear she had was when he came back from Tokyo really late. It had been four in the morning when he disturbed her sleep. She was afraid he'd found someone else. Then he told her what happened.

 

The third fear was when she noticed the glances between him and Orihime. Then his absence whenever the other woman was around. When he said he was at Orihime's house a while ago, her stomach had flipped. It was like he confirmed that fear. Then he told her why he was over there so late.

 

Still, she had doubts. When she told Grimmjow that she wanted an open relationship with him, it was more to give him freedom because she did not want him to feel like he was tied down. He had told her months ago he wasn't interested in anyone but her.

 

“Come here,” she said. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Diane Anaid - Last Thing  
> Death Cab For Cutie - A Lack of Color  
> Linkin Park - Numb (Piano Edit)  
> Embrace - I Can't Come Down  
> Evanescence - Understanding  
> Faith No More - Everything's Ruined  
> Namikawa Daisuke - Crush the World Down


	5. Memories Make Me Sad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They all think of the things that could have been and the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.

Two days passed before Orihime saw Ulquiorra. She was on her way to work when she saw him leave his own apartment with his book bag on his shoulders. He didn't look as bad as he did the other day when she gave him the news. He looked like normal Ulquiorra, expression passive with a blank stare. As he passed her, his gaze flicked to her.

 

“Hi,” she said softly. He gave her a slight nod and went on his way down the stairs. When he disappeared from sight around the building, she let go of the breath she had been holding. Guilt surrounded her now because she felt like she was responsible for adding to the number of things he had to carry around.

 

A lot of the time with Ulquiorra, getting him to talk about things was a waiting game. Would he speak to her about something that was bothering her? Would he sit in silence or want to be alone? It had been an emotional roller coaster to be involved with him.

 

Grimmjow was the complete opposite. He put on this front of having a hard personality but behind that brick wall was someone who wore his heart on his sleeve. She could tell what he was feeling, and she didn't have to ask if there was something wrong. He usually just told her if there was something bothering him.

 

The other night after Ulquiorra left, leaving her and him standing in the room, she had felt lost. She didn't know how to help the dark haired man deal with this news. She had several months to deal with it. She had her Jizo statue. Orihime looked at Grimmjow who rubbed his eyes.

 

They had stood close together for a few moments before she hugged then kissed him. She had begged him to stay. Just one night, she wanted him to stay with her.

 

“I can't; you know this Princess.”

 

Princess.

 

Woman.

 

Doll.

 

All those pet names that they called her. They represented the different people who mattered the most in her life. Grimmjow. Ulquiorra. Nel. She couldn't help wonder who was going to be destroyed if the truth ever came out. She had tried to convince him to stay again, but Grimmjow was firm.

 

“I have to leave. What do you think it would look like if I stayed and he saw me leave in the morning?”

 

That wasn't something she had considered. It would most likely end up being really ugly and messy. It wasn't something that any of them needed at the moment. As they said their goodbyes, he kissed her one time before he opened the door. What he said next had put more cracks in her already fractured heart.

 

“Acquaintances, Princess. Nothing more until we can get this sorted out,” he whispered into her ear.

 

She walked that morning to work with a mind full of sad thoughts and a heavy heart. Orihime knew that she wouldn't be content with that arrangement. She wouldn't be content with Ulquiorra either. The dark-haired, green-eyed man had been dethroned from her world. She had to think of it that way because if she entertained any other thoughts, she'd break again. Orihime had suffered enough because of him.

 

Even if Ulquiorra apologized for leaving her the second time, would she accept it? It hadn't been Ulquiorra's fault but Grimmjow had been right, he should have thought of a way to contact them sooner. Had he done that then there wouldn't be this gigantic mess.

 

She knew that this would end badly, the feeling in her gut screamed doom.

 

Another thing that was bothering her was the fact that Grimmjow was just going to let her go that easily. Yes, she knew that he was trying to do the right thing by distancing himself from her, but it still hurt. The truth always damaged in one way or another. She should have never accepted that stupid figurine from him. She should have just told him to leave.

 

The way that he hugged her, the way his arms wrapped around to hold her. It had been too much for Orihime to handle. She wanted someone to touch her. She'd been weak.

 

He hadn't contacted her since he left her apartment.

 

She found herself in front of Candy Ink Tattoo. Sometimes if Orihime looked at the building at the right angle, she could see the few spots where the bullet holes that had pierced the front of the business. All the damage had been repaired. The window had been replaced. Nel told her that she had scrubbed the blood from the concrete. Orihime still saw the puddle in her nightmares. She saw Ulquiorra dying with his head in her lap.

 

“Orihime?”

 

Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked up to see Nel staring at her. The woman's bright aqua hair was in a messy bun, and she stood with the door open.

 

“Yes?” she replied.

 

“You coming in or going to stand there all day?”

 

“Sorry, I was thinking,” Orihime replied. “Ulquiorra's back and I couldn't help remember...” She trailed off.

 

Nel nodded, “Grimm told me. It's okay. Don't think about it too much. You'll drive yourself crazy, believe me, I know.”

 

Guilt shot through her again. Nel had experienced the death of her first love, but she had put it behind her. She had Grimmjow in her life. Orihime forced a smile on her face. “I know.”

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra walked to across the city where he lived to his former workplace. The place was dark but still boasted the fact that it housed Shinji's shop. The same signs were plastered against the door. No children allowed inside. No Walk-ins.

 

He pulled the door to find it wouldn't move. Maybe Shinji had shut his business down. There was only one way to find out. He pulled out his phone and found the man's number. He hesitated before pushing the part of the screen that would allow him to make the phone call. It just rang, no one picked up.

 

With a sigh, he started walking again. This time in the direction of Nel's shop. He had done a lot of things in the past two days. He dealt with the news of the miscarriage while drinking vodka. He'd turned service to his phone back on. He'd called his family and told them not to bother with him anymore. He also placed a call to the respiratory clinic that treated him, stating that he wanted his records and everything transferred to a different clinic.

 

He forced himself to take a deep breath. He saw Orihime that morning. It was hard not to see her. She had been all he thought about for the past couple of months. This morning she still had those haunted eyes and he actually could feel something tugging at his heartstrings. He had quickly studied her posture and analyzed the tone of her voice as she greeted him. He tried to do this from the detached perspective of an observer.

 

However, doing this caused him to frown. Something was bothering her. Was it the miscarriage? Did she feel regret? Had she been relieved? Was she torn because he was alive? He had so many questions that he wanted to ask her. He found out that he couldn't say anything to her.

 

He had noted the other night that Grimmjow's car left almost fifteen minutes after he walked out of the other apartment. There was more to this whole thing than just the shock of him turning up alive. Something changed between his girlfriend and friend in the past six months.

 

That little green demon raised his head, and Ulquiorra had to force himself not to listen to it. It was telling him that Orihime wasn't his anymore. He'd been gone six months. It was feeding him the idea that maybe, the redhead had moved on. Why did he think that after all that time away from her that he had the right to go back to her? Hadn't he told her that he wanted her to be able to move on without him when he left for Los Angeles?

 

He told himself if that was the case then he couldn't blame her. He tried to think of something to say to Orihime that would smooth the past six months over. He couldn't find the exact words that would eloquently phrase an apology of that magnitude

 

Just saying that he was sorry for the events that unfolded wouldn't be enough. He had always thought that sorry was an empty and meaningless word. It was said only to appease people who had low standards. With a heavy sigh, he found that he didn’t know what to say, and he hated when he was at a loss for words.

 

Then there was the whole miscarriage thing. He had needed time to himself to adjust to the sudden news. He thought for months that he was going to be a father. His world crumbled when she told him. He should have known something was amiss. She didn't look pregnant although she should have been. There had been nothing in her apartment to suggest that an infant was living there.

 

No wonder Grimmjow had sounded pissed off when he asked about the baby. All he possibly had done was stirred up bad memories for Orihime.

 

Twenty minutes of walking later, he found himself in front of the Nel's business. Flashes of images from that night went through his brain. They were quick snapshots but so jumbled and blurred together that it was hard for him to focus on just one single memory.

 

He thought he could put the incident behind him. Rationalize it away. It wasn’t as easy as he thought it would be. Ulquiorra pulled open the door after a few minutes and walked in to see Orihime sitting at the counter, her hands around her phone, staring at the device. She didn't look up as the bell tinkled above his head.

 

“Welcome to Candy Ink Tattoo,” she said in a flat voice.

 

“Is Nel here?”

 

That caught her attention. Orihime stood quickly but not before her hands dropped her phone and she seemed really surprised to find him standing there. “Oh! Um,” she stammered before bending down and picking up the phone from the floor.

 

This wasn't going to be nearly as easy as he thought it would be. Maybe he should just burn the bridge with Orihime. Hadn't he hurt her enough the first time with his disappearance? Seeing her flustered expression he knew that he couldn't. He ached for her.

 

“I'll see if she's busy,” the redhead finally said and disappeared.

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow was currently at Yammy's gym, throwing punches at a bag filled with sand imagining it was the asshole who shot his friend, his friend's former boss, and Ulquiorra. Every hit was punctuated with a thought of malice.

 

Why. Had. He. Come. Back?

 

Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch.

 

It was his own fault because he knew he was playing with fire. He knew that he should have left Orihime alone after the first time. He went to her house the second time to see if she was okay or apologize. He hadn't been sure. As soon as she opened that door, he couldn't stop himself. The impulse had been too much to resist.

 

He'd been a fool.

 

He told himself that he wasn't in love. They were just using each other for a good time. Why did he need the young woman for a good time when he had a perfectly willing woman who would spread herself for him anytime he wanted?

 

Was it greed?

 

It might have been but he'd been intrigued by Orihime the first time he met her. When Nel had told him she had randomly made a friend, he expected an older female. He didn't expect that baby-faced high school kid with tits that would rival a porn star's, hourglass figure and shapely ass. He'd been quite speechless. Sure, sometimes he'd think of the girl when he jerked off. It was normal, guys did that kind of stuff. Then over the years, he got to know her somewhat. He distanced himself until she started talking about Ulquiorra.

 

He mocked her mercilessly over that. Then last year happened. He remembered the first time she came into Nel's shop while he was getting work done, crying. She was bawling over a guy she didn't personally know because he had a whore with red hair at his house. He had taken Ulquiorra's side over hers.

 

Ulquiorra told him that he had taken the red head's virginity and all of a sudden Grimmjow had this itch he couldn't scratch. He took an interest in her. He watched her. He wanted her. He knew he was a greedy man because all he could think about was having both Nel and Orihime.

 

Nel had told him about the conversation she had with Ulquiorra on the roof. She had expressed interest in the other man. It was minute, but still, that little spark was there. Grimmjow suggested having an all-out orgy with them. Nel had smacked him and refused to talk to him for six hours.

 

Both of the women were stunning and fascinating on their own. With Nel, he was comfortable to be himself and do his own thing. He knew every inch, ink stain, and hair on the woman's body. She was like a security blanket or an old piece of clothing that brought peace. The woman was a master of sex because she knew what he liked and what he didn't like. She knew what would bring him quickly to an orgasm.

 

Orihime was different. He didn't have a lot of time to explore her but he knew she had the most expressive eyebrows he had seen. They would furrow and lend a certain quality to her expressions that he often laughed at. Her shiny hair was the color of a sunset on fire. He would tangle his hands in the long tresses. His hands roamed her body and the soft curves when he kissed her.

  
Nel's hair was good, but it took a lot of work to keep her hair that bright teal-aqua color she loved so much.

 

Then there were her smiles which he often saw when they were alone. They were brilliant. Orihime’s mouth was perfectly formed, her bottom lip pouty and the top one was peaked in perfect harmony. Her lips were shell pink but quickly flushed when hot or cold touch the skin. The same thing happened when he kissed her or she became aroused.

 

Orihime really didn't know a lot about sex except what Ulquiorra had taught her. She admitted it hadn't been a lot. Grimmjow had to show her things or elaborate on specific subjects. But Orihime did know what she enjoyed.

 

Grimmjow hit the bag harder as he thought of the redhead. He had spent the last two days here, sweating and working out because of all the anger that bubbled inside of him. He'd taken his aggression out on Nel, but that was in more of a sexual way. He had fucked her hard and fast multiple times over the past few days.  
  
The night he came home from the Ulquiorra thing, Nel had given him head, and before he fucked her, she told him she knew. She could smell the other woman on him. He didn't say a damn thing as he ruthlessly entered her.

 

Punch. Punch. Punch.

 

Why had that black haired asshole come back? Things were fine without him. Why did he decide now was a perfect time to disrupt everyone? Before he knew it, his hand was inside the punching bag, sand pouring out of the hole. “Shit,” he muttered.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Protomen - Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)  
> Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons - Sucker For Pain  
> From Autumn to Ashes - Short Stories with Tragic Endings  
> Placebo – Running Up That Hill  
> Dios Malos – You Got Me All Wrong


	6. The Tragic Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ulquiorra gets his job back at Nel's shop. Grimmjow makes a huge mistake. Nel mocks him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> CHAPTER WITH SEX IN IT! It's just Nel and Grimmjow angry!sex.

Nel looked at Ulquiorra standing in front of her desk. He was asking for his job back. She didn't know how to answer his request. The rooms were full except for Rangiku's. The blonde woman wasn't sure if she would be back to work because of the newborn. If Orihime did gain entrance to university in the spring, she would lose the front counter person. If Rangiku did come back, she could be relegated to that position.

 

A frown came over her face. “I don't know, man,” she finally said. “Rukia got your room after we were told you were dead. All your supplies and stuff were packed up. I think Grimm took them to your apartment. That's the only place we knew to put them.”

 

“I found them,” Ulquiorra responded. “Thank you for packing them away.”

 

She shrugged, “I just can't believe you're back. I had a lot of clients upset because of what happened to you. The cops didn't do anything. They took the bullets pulled from the building. Took a couple of statements but nothing was done after that. Sit the hell down. You make me nervous when you stand like that.”

 

“Sorry,” he said taking a seat in one of the chairs. She saw him hesitate for a moment. “Have you noticed anything weird going on with Orihime or Grimmjow?”

 

One eyebrow shot up. He'd figured out there was something off about the two in two days? It had taken her a month to see it. Nel shook her head. It was probably for the best that she not voice her concerns to him. “They were hit the hardest by your loss. The day that Grimmjow called your mom and she told him that you were dead, he cried. When we went to Orihime's house to tell her the news... I feel so bad about that.”

 

“Grimmjow told me some of it. Were you guys there?”

 

“Yeah, I was mostly there. Grimm doesn't like the sight of blood since, well, you know,” she replied. “He kept coming back and checking on us. She was really torn up about it after it was done. We took her home with us and she just laid on the couch. She stayed with us for a while.

 

One day, she said she wanted to go home. So Grimm took her home and then called me to tell me he was going to Tokyo for the day. He just wanted to get out of the area to clear his mind. I didn't see him until the next day.”

 

“Hm,” Ulquiorra murmured. He was deep in thought. The woman at the front counter had been through an ordeal. So had Grimmjow. They had changed. It happened. Humans evolved to adapt to their surroundings and circumstances. “I don't know. Grimmjow seems really angry or annoyed by Orihime. At least he did the other night.”

 

Nel sat back in her chair and folded her hands over her stomach. “You think maybe you stirred up some bad memories for them?”

 

His head shook. He never thought about that. Ulquiorra was expecting people to be happy to see him. So far he'd seen anger, sadness, and surprise. He sighed. It was too much to deal with at the moment. He stood and pushed his hands into his pockets. “Thanks for your time, Nel.”

 

“Yeah,” she said. “People will be glad that you're back.”

 

“Are you giving me my job back?”

 

The teal haired woman nodded. “Orihime's going to university soon. I don't expect her to work while doing that. Rangiku will be back soon. She can take over the front counter until she feels like herself or finds childcare. I don't know. I hear motherhood is a bitch to handle though.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I have to ask though; you're not going to have like psychotic episodes or flashbacks, are you? I don't want to trigger anything for you.”

 

Ulquiorra gave a one-shoulder shrug, “I don't remember really what happened.”

 

* * *

 

Ring. Ring. Ring.

 

Grimmjow looked at his phone and had to keep from rolling his eyes. Ulquiorra was calling. The blue-haired man turned his attention away from the annoyance and focused on sanding the wood that was in front of him. He was building a coffee table for one of his clients who showed him what he wanted it to look like from a picture on the internet.  
  
The corporation which designed the table charged an exorbitant amount of money for the piece, and he told the guy he could build it for at least forty percent cheaper. All it took was time to make it, He'd sketched out the rough draft of the table, measured the pieces, cut them and then nailed them all together. The longest part of this process was sanding the wood, making sure it was smooth and then waiting for the stain to dry.

 

Ring. Ring. Ring.

 

“'ello?” he said, throwing down the sander and scooping up the phone. It was better to get this conversation out of the way.

 

“Grimmjow?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“It's Ulquiorra.”

 

“I know man, I got caller ID,” Grimmjow said, biting back the venom he felt coursing through him. “What do you need?”

 

“A ride. I'm at my house. I need a ride back to Candy Ink.”

 

He sighed. He'd been doing so good keeping away from the redhead. “Any reason why you can't walk?”

 

“I have a box of supplies I would have to carry. It's heavy.”

 

“Oh, wait... Did Nel hire you again?” Grimmjow asked.

 

“Yes, she did. I tried Shinji's, but his place looks deserted. I called his phone, and no one answered,” Ulquiorra replied.

 

“I'll be there soon.”

 

As soon as the call ended the blue-haired man grabbed a six-foot wooden dowel and whacked it against the massive, square, metal table in the middle of the room until it splintered. He threw the piece of wood to the side in disgust. He had to learn how to handle this unfamiliar pang of jealousy.

 

* * *

 

The entire ride from Ulquiorra's apartment to Candy Ink had been silent. Grimmjow told himself that he was going to stay in the car. He wasn't going to go in. He had no need to go inside the place. He would leave after he dropped the dark haired man off. He found himself turning the car off and exiting the vehicle.

 

He opened the front door for Ulquiorra. He saw her and watched as her face lit up then quickly fall. Ulquiorra must have come in behind him. “Hi,” she said in a forced cheerful voice. “Nel's in the back!”

 

The man beside him nodded and went behind the curtain while Grimmjow didn't move. Until she turned away from him. He was at that front counter, reaching across the space but he caught himself before he touched her skin. The hand jerked back quickly as if he had been burned and Grimmjow cursed silently as he turned from the young woman then went through the curtained doorway.

 

* * *

 

Nel watched the interaction on the screen. She saw the joyful face on one camera pointed at the front counter. She saw the same expression morph into disappointment. She saw her boyfriend move quickly towards that redhead. That look on his face as he was reaching out to Orihime. She saw the same hand retreat quickly and the look of frustration overcome Grimmjow's feature.

 

Checkmate.

 

She just found the other woman.

 

She rewound the entire spectacle and had each camera on a different frame when he barged into her office. The smirk that spread across her mouth as she quickly glanced at his face was one of satisfaction. “This is good entertainment,” Nel said, pointing at the screens with the remote held in one hand. She pressed rewind and then play. The entire scene came across the screen again. “There are seven cameras in that front area. Did you forget?”

 

All he had to do was tell her. She couldn't decide if she was heartbroken or highly amused at the situation. It was probably the ridiculousness of the entire thing that amused her because under the smile was the rage that boiled slowly.

  
  
“Nel,” he said. He actually sounded defeated.

 

“Nel,” she mimicked. “Why? Call her in here, and I'll ask her why too.”

 

“This isn't necessary,” Grimmjow replied to her.

 

“You lied to me,” she shouted, standing up from her chair. “You lied to me. Grimm, you lied for what? Pussy? We have rules in our relationship that both of us have to follow. I gave you these rules because I knew how you were when you were younger. Always a wandering eye!”

 

“Would you please lower your voice?”

 

Oh man, he said the one thing she loathed to hear. Instead of quieting down, Nel started screaming, and she flung the remote at his head. “NO! I can't believe I trusted you! What happened? Did she cry? You felt you had to fuck her to comfort her?”

 

Everyone who was in the shop was gathered in the hallway outside the open door. Nel quickly glanced at her employees with predatory eyes. The one person she was looking for wasn't in the crowd but the next best thing was. Ulquiorra stood staring at them his expression one of surprise. Nel went to move towards the man but Grimmjow blocked her way by grabbing one of her arms tightly and slammed the door shut.

 

“Nel, let me explain before you deliver whatever retribution you think I deserve,” Grimmjow said quietly as he gripped her wrist. “I will pay whatever the price, let me explain.”

 

“Fine, you have sixty seconds to tell me what is going on,” she stated with that same smirk on her face.

 

Grimmjow sighed, “It happened more than once.”

 

“I do not doubt that. Was she the one I smelled the other day?” Grimmjow wouldn't look at her, and it irked her. She jerked her arm out of his grasp. “Answer me Grimmjow.”

 

“Why? You already know the answer,” he replied. “Nel, think about it this way. I thought I just lost my best friend. You didn't seem to care because it's Ulquiorra and you don't give a shit about him anyway. I went to see if Orihime was okay. I took her a Jizo statue thing; one of those miscarriage spirits. I didn't know if she wanted it but I felt compelled to get it for her.”

 

Nel put her hands on her hips. She knew what he was talking about. She had seen the statue in Orihime's apartment several times. She saw the way the young woman had looked at the thing fondly. Had the fondness been because it reminded her of her and Ulquiorra's lost child or the fact that Grimmjow had given it to her?

 

He had paused. He seemed hesitant to go on. “I've made it clear that I wanted her,” he said slowly. “She was there.”

 

“When?”

 

“When what? When was the first time? When was the last time?”

 

“First time,” Nel said through gritted teeth. She already knew when the last time was. It was the night that Ulquiorra magically showed up at Orihime's house. It was the night she smelled and tasted the other woman on his dick.

 

“When I went to Tokyo,” he answered. “I bought the statue and then delivered it to her.”

 

This made Nel burst out into laughter. “I bet you delivered,” she snapped. “Is she your reason for working late? Is she your reason for the gym visits? Is she the reason you don't fuck me as much?”

 

She saw Grimmjow's guilty expression. He didn't even need to answer the questions she asked. “Okay. Fine. Why did you not tell me? The number one rule for our relationship was to tell the other person. Why didn't you tell me?”

 

“I was afraid that you'd leave me. I was afraid you'd punish Orihime for some reason,” he said.

 

“You don't think I'll leave you now? You don't think I'll punish her now?” Nel asked getting in his face. Her hand shot out, and she slapped Grimmjow. The smack was rather satisfying. “You are a fool—”

 

It happened rather fast, but she found herself pinned against her desk with Grimmjow above her. Her chest was heaving. She saw that look of lust in his eyes. Nel knew the more she squirmed, the tighter his grip would become.

 

She found her t-shirt pulled up, her bra was pushed up over her breasts. Grimmjow's mouth was on her and it felt like fire. Nel could only let her head drop back as she felt him unbutton the jeans she wore. His free hand shoved the material down her thighs. That same hand came to the apex of her thighs. Her moan was low as he fondled the skin there. Nel cursed herself for being turned on by this. She was the one that was angry and demanded that he pay for his betrayal.

  
He turned around quickly, freeing her arms and pressed his hand against her back so that she was bent over the desk, with her ass bare. It was Nel's arm that shot out to keep her balance, scattering several stacks of paperwork off the top of the wood surface along with a photograph of her and Grimmjow. She vaguely heard the tinkling of glass breaking.

 

His feet kicked her legs apart a bit further, so he had room to take her from behind. She heard his jeans unzip. She knew what he was doing. She felt the head of his cock against her. Holding her breath, Nel felt him push into her hard and fast without any warning, making her take every inch with one stroke.

 

She tried as hard as she could not to cry out. After being with him for so long, she should have been accustomed to his size, but there were times like this that it was too much. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't comfortable. His hands seized her hips as his pace picked up naturally, and the angle that he had her hips, caused him to slide right against that one spot.

 

Shuddering under his touch, Nel bit her lip. She gripped the edge of the desk as the breath rushed out of her as Grimmjow slammed into her over and over again. Her eyes rolled back, and she moaned as he groped and squeezed her body. She was quickly losing this battle of trying to keep her orgasm at bay.

 

Nel gritted her teeth and gave a hiss as she felt the beginning of it start. Her muscles tightened against him. Her nails dug into the wood surface as he drove himself onto his own release. Grimmjow didn't stop when she came, whimpering. He kept fucking her until his hands finally pulled her body back against him. She felt his cock twitch inside her. He was experiencing his own orgasm, the only noise coming from him was a rapid panting.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Five Finger Death Punch - The Tragic Truth  
> Evanescence - My Immortal (Acoustic)  
> Faithless - Insomnia  
> Dixie Chicks - Top of the World  
> 12 Stones - Lie to Me  
> Dandy Warhols - Sleep


	7. Propositions and Phone Calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grimmjow does something stupid and makes a phone call. He and Nel talk. Orihime has a surprise visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.

Ulquiorra had been surprised to hear Nel and Grimmjow yelling at each other. When Nel zeroed her gaze in on him, he knew they'd been discussing something that had to do with him or Orihime. He was grateful to Grimmjow for flinging the door shut because Nel had looked like she was out for blood.

 

He turned away from the crowd and walked to the front of the building. He nudged the black curtain to the side and saw Orihime staring at the space with a horrified expression. They had been fighting about her.

  
  
What Nel had shouted at Grimmjow made sense. It explained Grimmjow's animosity towards him. It explained Orihime's behavior. When he saw her face, it had been lit up as a child's on Christmas morning then her gaze had moved to him and instantly the expression fell flat before an uncomfortable smile crossed her face.

 

She had been smiling at Grimmjow.

 

There was a lump in his throat that he couldn't seem to swallow. His stomach felt like it was going to revolt. He had images of Orihime being touched by Grimmjow. The redhead was lying under the man. He had a vivid picture of her gasping and crying out. His eyes narrowed at the woman. She apparently saw him at this point because she hid her face from him.

 

He quickly slammed a wall down against the emotions that were threatening him. He was at work. He was not going to deal with this right now. He let the curtain fall back into place, and he went to unpack the box he had brought into the business with him. He wiped off everything in the room with disinfectant.

 

He pretty much kept busy turning the room into his own space until Nel knocked on the door. She opened it and peeked in. “It's about fifteen minutes until closing,” she said as he looked up at the design he was drawing.

 

Ulquiorra nodded and switched off the desk lamp. He stood up and sighed. “You know Nel,” he said quietly. He stared blankly at the drawing on the desk. “Sometimes, I fucking hate you.”

 

“Yeah, I know. I hate myself too, at times.”

 

“Did he cheat on you?”

 

“Yes. No.” She sounded upset; almost as if she was going to cry. He turned his head towards her.

 

“Was it her?” Nel's head nodded. Ulquiorra's stomach churned again. “Well, that saves me a lot of trouble. I don't need to bother wooing her anymore,” he said flippantly. “She's clearly over me.”

 

He picked up his book bag and went to turn out the overhead light. Nel flipped the switch before he could reach it. The two stood in darkness. He hadn't noticed that everyone else had gone home. He'd been so engrossed in cleaning and keeping busy he had lost track of time.

 

“Do you remember the conversation we had on the roof?”

 

“Yes, Nel.” He heard her sigh. It almost sounded like she was relieved. “Why?”

 

“If you ever want to explore that,” she paused. Ulquiorra's eyes darted around in the dark, wishing he could see her face. “You know where to find me. Here's my number.”

 

He felt her press a small piece of paper into his hand. Her features were vague in the dark, but he could tell she had her back to him. He quickly reached out and grasped her hand so she couldn't leave. “As revenge? I don't want to be your childish retaliation against him or her. An eye for an eye leaves people blind.”

 

“More as an open option to explore,” came the reply.

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow sat in his car in front of Orihime's apartment. He wanted to go up and talk to her, but he found he didn't have any more strength to deal with females today. Nel had intimidated him enough. Besides what did he have to say to Orihime?

 

He pulled out his phone and tapped her contact. He couldn't bring himself to push the call button. Closing his eyes, he lay his head against the back of his seat. Him and his stupid impulsiveness. A knock on the driver side window broke him out of his thoughts, and he found himself staring at Ulquiorra.

  
  
As quick as he could, Grimmjow rolled down the window. “Hey man. I was waiting for you,” he said to the dark-haired man.

 

“Really? I thought you'd be here for Orihime,” he replied.

 

“What?” Grimmjow said. He had to try to play this off. He couldn't admit anything to Ulquiorra. “Why would I be here for her? Do you want to grab some beers?”

 

“No, Grimmjow. Leave or go to Orihime's. I do not care.” Ulquiorra turned his back on the blue-haired man and walked up the stairs.

 

Nel must have told him. This is how it felt to destroy your life, Grimmjow thought as he watched the other man walk away from him. This is how it felt when everything was crumbling away.

 

With a heavy sigh, he rolled the window back up and started the car. He pulled away and drove towards his apartment. When he parked in the garage, he cut the engine. He picked up his phone again and tapped the call button.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Princess.”

 

* * *

 

When Orihime heard the ringtone for Grimmjow, she practically ran to her phone. She picked it up and pressed it against her ear before greeting him. Then she heard him say, Princess, she sank to the floor. Something was wrong, she could tell by how strained that greeting had been.

 

“I'm here,” she said to him.

 

Grimmjow cleared his throat. His voice came through the speaker, still sounding like he was in pain. “Baby, Nel knows. Ulquiorra knows too.”

 

Her brow furrowed and she huffed, “What do you mean? Did you tell her? Did you tell him? I don't understand.”

 

She heard him laugh. “I mean they know. Nel saw what I did today. I totally forgot about the cameras. She replayed what I did several times. That's what we were fighting about today. She figured it all out. I told her what happened.”

 

Orihime understood now. She knew why Ulquiorra had glared at her so hatefully. She knew why Grimmjow didn't even glance in her direction after he stomped out of the shop. Nel had been especially kind to her for the rest of the day. “Who told Ulquiorra?”

 

“I'm guessing Nel did,” he replied. “Listen to me. This is my fault, okay? I should have—I knew better.”

 

That sinking feeling in her stomach had returned, and she felt like Grimmjow was about to annihilate her with just one sentence like he did that night he got that stupid phone call.

 

“I need you to quit or resign from your position at Nel's. I don't want her to hurt you or humiliate you in some way,” Grimmjow said. “She's really pissed off.”

 

Her mouth opened and closed several times. She found herself with nothing to really say. “Did she kick you out?”

 

“No, Princess.”

 

“Well, that's a good thing.” Orihime couldn't think at the moment. She didn't even feel like she could breathe right now. “What are we going to do? If you hadn't answered the—”

 

“Orihime, please do not do this,” he commanded. “ _Don't_. I know I shouldn't have answered. As for what we're going to do? I have no clue. Nel wouldn't talk to me after we were done—Never mind.”

 

“Done? What were you done with?”

 

She heard him swear. “She slapped me. I fucked her. That's why I left in such a hurry.”

 

If Grimmjow had punched her in the stomach, he would have been more gentle than the words he just spoke. She could feel the tears burn in her eyes. “I'm going to go. I'm tired,” she said.

 

“Princess,” he said, but she ignored him. She pressed the end call button and put the phone down. It rang again, and she quickly turned it off. She didn't want to talk to anyone.

 

Orihime unrolled her futon and made her bed. She put on her pajamas and turned out the lights when someone pounded on her door. The sound scared her, and it made her jump.

 

Was that Grimmjow? How had he gotten here so quickly?

 

The pounding repeated. She walked over to the door and slowly unlocked it, easing the barrier open a few inches. She gasped when she saw who was knocking on her door.

 

It wasn't Grimmjow. Grimmjow didn't have jet black hair or murky green eyes.

 

It was an angry, angry Ulquiorra.

 

* * *

 

Nel was sitting on the couch, watching a movie when Grimmjow walked in. She watched him do his usual thing of shedding his daily things. Keys on the counter, the boots, jacket. He said nothing to her as walked past her into the hallway. He returned a few minutes later, shirtless, in a pair of sweatpants and walked to the refrigerator. She knew he would get one of the beers that sat in there and then come to the couch and sit next to her.

 

The man was predictable. He set the beer on the table and sat down. Nel watched him pause for a moment, before moving the beer to the other end of the couch where he scooted away from her. He leaned forward and sat with his elbows on his thighs.

 

“You told him,” he said, not looking at her. His eyes were glued to the television.

 

“No,” she remarked. “He figured it out. I confirmed it.”

 

Grimmjow nodded before taking a swig of the beer. “When are you moving out?” he asked her, finally looking at her.

 

“I never said I was.”

 

She watched him nod again. He leaned back against the couch, giving a small hiss as the cold leather touched his skin. “Okay, let me rephrase that... When are _you_ getting your shit out of _my_ apartment?”

 

“I'm _not_ ,” Nel said. A hard edge came into her voice. She couldn't believe what the hell Grimmjow was saying. Was he actually kicking her out? She hadn't been the one to cheat and lie! “Are you kicking me out?”

 

He shook his head. “You were threatening to leave me and make her life miserable,” he replied with a smirk on his face. “She won't be there tomorrow.”

 

Nel looked over at him with a nasty glare. “Why?”

 

“I told her to quit. I thought that was the best solution to the situation. She wouldn't be around you or him or me. She can get her head on straight for taking the entrance exams,” the man said with a shrug.

 

“You're a dumb ass,” Nel said, standing up from her seat. She went into the bedroom and grabbed her phone. Grimmjow followed her.

 

“Why am I a dumb ass?”

 

Nel looked at him as if he was foolish. “She lives next door to him. He has a jealous streak, Grimmjow. I saw what he did to her the last time he got jealous. He's not going to let this go.”

 

“Did he hurt her?” Grimmjow asked. His voice became slightly deeper and dangerous sounding. “Nelliel, did he hurt her?”

 

Nel gave a noncommittal expression which indicated she was unsure. “She had the normal marks on her. It was a couple of days before he got those tattoos on his face. It was the night he got drunk, and they had unprotected sex.”

 

She looked down at her phone and called Orihime. It rang and then went to voicemail. She hung up and looked up at Grimmjow who was pacing the wood floor. “How did you know that Ulquiorra knew?”

 

He shook his head. “I went to their building. I was going to talk to Orihime face to face but I couldn't. I didn't want to. Ulquiorra saw me and told me to leave or go see her. I left and came back here then called her. I upset her, so she said she was going to bed. I called back, and it went to voicemail.”

 

“Yeah, it just went to voice mail for me too,” Nel said. Her fingers quickly tapped in a text message. Usually, the young woman read her messages right away. One minute passed by and the message sat unread. “Dammit Grimm. You couldn't just wait until we talked.”

 

He glared at her. “What do you mean talk? We have nothing to talk about, Nel. You want to leave, then leave. I fucked up, I admit it. I didn't just fuck up our relationship though. I fucked up friendships too.”

 

She watched as he sat down slowly on the end of the bed. He buried his face in his hands. Nel felt sorry for him at that moment because very rarely did Grimmjow admit he was wrong. The man was almost as bad as Ulquiorra when it came to emotions, but at least he was able to convey what he felt.

 

He'd been right. She'd been insensitive about the whole Ulquiorra was dead thing. She had given him space when he needed comfort. Every time he'd bring it up, she'd blow him off. It wasn't that she didn't give a shit about Ulquiorra, she just knew that the people he was involved with were bad news. If she hadn't cared about the dark haired man, she would have never given him a job.

 

She crawled across the bed and sat next to him. “Look, I am pissed that you didn't tell me. I would have cared less if you had told me about it and not lied. My policy about us has always been communication, no expectations, and honesty. I trusted you. Do you understand now?”

 

“You just seemed really pissed whenever I showed interest in Orihime,” Grimmjow said into his hands. “It just happened Nel. I didn't plan for it too, but it did. I went back time and time again. I kept telling myself that it was the last it would happen.”

 

“Were you with her when Ulquiorra called?”

 

The man gave a snort laughter as if Nel had said something funny instead of asking a question. “I was balls deep. As soon as I heard his voice, I bailed. She told me to stay there, and I didn't listen.”

 

Nel looked at the man with raised eyebrows. It sounded like he had more to add to this story. The pause was long, but he sighed. “You know, she kept urging me to tell you about us. I told her I would. I never did,” Grimmjow commented as he looked up at the ceiling and clenched his jaw. “So what do we do now? What's going to happen?”

 

“We go over the rules,” she answered. Something was nagging Nel, so she stood up. “We need to have this conversation in the car though. I want to check on Orihime.”

 

“You what?”

 

Nel was putting on a hoodie and a pair of socks. “C'mon, I'm want to check on Orihime. I have this terrible fucking feeling okay. If you were at their building and Ulquiorra saw you... I don't know you could have triggered something.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 30 Seconds to Mars - The Kill  
> Butterfly Boucher - Bitter Song  
> The Smashing Pumpkins – Fuck You (An Ode To No One)  
> Killswitch Engage - The End of Heartache  
> Avenged Sevenfold - Shattered By Broken Dreams


	8. Violent Delights Have Violent Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He finds out the truth and loses control of his emotions again. Nel confronts him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> Mild Violence.

He was shirtless. He had no shoes or socks on. He was standing in front of her door with just a pair of jeans on. There was a wild look in his eye. It scared Orihime, and she went to push the door shut, but he stopped her. His arm shoved against the door so that she had to lean her entire weight against the wood.

 

“Let me in,” Ulquiorra demanded.

 

“No,” she stammered. “You need to go home.”

 

He practically snarled at her. “Open this door, Orihime Inoue. What? Do I no longer matter since you got rid of my brat? You've been spreading your legs for Grimmjow! Does he fuck you good? Does he make you scream like I used to?”

 

“Stop it!” she yelled at him. She didn't want to hear what he was saying. She had a vague feeling of deja vu. She had gone through this with him before when he'd accused her of sleeping with Ichigo. “Are you drunk again?”

 

“I'm sober,” he said. Orihime could feel him put his weight behind pushing the door open. She was slowly sliding back. “What got me angry was your boyfriend was sitting out in front of the building. He says he was waiting for me. I think he was here for you.”

 

Finally, Orihime couldn't hold the door, and she fell back onto the floor. She trembled as he stepped into her apartment. He stood over her with his fist clenched. He crouched down in front of her, making Orihime scramble backward.

  
He gave a low chuckle. “Do I scare you now? I can see that I do. I find that funny because I didn't scare you when I've attacked you before. You weren't scared of me when I was drunk. Why'd you get rid of my kid, Woman?”

 

Orihime felt her back hit the wall, and she scrambled to stand. “I had a miscarriage,” she corrected. “I didn't do it intentionally!  It's illegal to get an abortion.”

 

Ulquiorra stared at her for a moment before pinning her against the wall with his body. He grabbed her wrists, bringing them above her head. “I don't believe you. Did you let him fuck you as soon as you heard I was supposedly dead or before that? I'm impressed though. I know how big Grimmjow's cock is. I'm surprised that you can take it. You were tight around me.”

 

“Shut up!”

 

His face came close to hers, mouth hovering above hers. Orihime turned her face away from him only for him to grip her chin and force her to look at him. He pressed his lips against hers. She panicked as he forced her mouth open. She tried to arch her body but he was like a heavy rock on top of hers.

 

He pulled back and hissed. Orihime realized what she did and almost let out a hysterical giggle. Of course, he was turned on. She could feel that band of panic tightened across her chest as he dragged her away from the open door. His hands were on her chest, and she could feel them worm their way under the fabric of her tank top.

 

“Please stop, Ulquiorra. Why are you doing this? Why are you like this?” she cried. His lips were on her neck, and she knew what was coming. He was going to bite her or mark her in some way. The shirt she wore was pushed up, and she felt the cold air on her skin.

 

“I'm doing this because I love you and you just tossed me to the side. You got rid of my baby and then you discarded me. Why Grimmjow? Why not that kid with the orange hair? Why did you give me the ring box back? You must have seen the ring! Didn't you want it? You know what you are? You're a whore and a home wrecker,” he hissed into her ear. The pain went through her body as his teeth sank into the area right below her earlobe.

 

A small scream left her mouth. Orihime was crying freely now. She just wanted him to stop touching her. “Can't we talk about this situation like adults? You're throwing a tantrum like a child who can't have a toy.”

 

“I know I am. You're my toy, and I can't have you. I am a jealous person, Orihime. You know this,” he replied. “I thought you would have learned your lesson the first time.”

 

“Stop, Ulquiorra. What do you want me to do? Just stop this, and I'll do it!”

 

“Shhh!”

 

Once again he pulled back, in the dark she saw his head tilt to the side. It sounded like he was listening to something. She strained to listen for any weird noises. It sounded like there was a car driving fast down the street. The brakes screeched when it was in front of the apartment building. She heard one car door open and then slam. The sound repeated.

 

She didn't know if she could have cried more when she heard the voices.

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow didn't bother putting his jeans back on. He just pulled a hoodie on, put his stuff in the pockets of the sweatpants, shoved his feet into shoes and launched himself down the stairs. Nel was right behind him after she locked the door. He ran out of the building and into the garage. He trusted Nel's gut feeling so he wanted to get to the other woman as fast as he could.

 

He went around the car to the driver's side, but the teal haired woman came between him and the car. “You've been drinking,” she said. Her hand was held out.

 

Grimmjow scoffed and rolled his eyes. “You're fucking annoying sometimes,” he growled at her as he handed over the car keys.

 

“I know I am, but me being annoying will probably stop you from killing us,” she replied as she got behind the steering wheel. Nel started the car and quickly took off and turned onto the street. After a few quiet seconds, she said, “Okay, so you broke the first rule. You didn't tell me.”

 

“Do we have to talk about this now?”

 

“Do you think we might have a better opportunity?”

 

“If he's done anything to her, I'm going to kill him.”

 

“Okay, next one. You've stayed at her house overnight,” Nel said as she stopped at a light.

 

“How the hell do you figure I did that?”

 

She looked over at him with an unamused expression as she pressed the gas pedal. The car lurched forward. “You came home at some god-awful time in the morning and woke me up.”

 

“It was before sunrise, technically I didn't stay at her place,” Grimmjow said impatiently. “Can we speed this along?”

 

“I'm doing the speed limit,” Nel answered him. “You broke the third rule which was I don't want to hear about what you're doing with her.”

 

“I never told you about her, how could I break that rule?”

 

“You were balls deep?” Nel reminded him. “Let's not forget that I could smell her on you. I tasted her on you. You didn't have the decency to clean yourself before you came home.”

 

“That'd be a pretty shitty conversation. Excuse me; I need to wash myself up after fucking you. My main woman might sniff my crotch,” Grimmjow snapped.

 

Nel made an incoherent noise. “I know what I smell like on you. Orihime is a completely different—“

 

“You're fucking weird.”

 

“You're in love with her.”

 

“Woman, I am—”

 

“Don't deny it. I saw it written all over your face today. You're actually torn up over this whole thing. You're jealous. You were dealing with something that night, what was it? The night he called you.” Nel asked.

 

“Slow the fuck down!” He shouted. Nel slammed the brakes on directly in front of Orihime and Ulquiorra's apartment building. “I was angry, and yes, I was jealous. Everything was fine until he came back. Now everyone is upset.”

 

Grimmjow pushed open the car door and jumped out. He slammed the door closed and heard Nel shut the car off then follow him out of the car. “The door's open and the light is off,” he said, as he ran across to the stairs.

 

“Should I dial emergency services?”

 

“I don't fucking know!”

 

He walked into the Orihime's apartment and felt along the wall for the light switch. The overhead lights came on, and Grimmjow flexed his fist at what he saw.

 

Orihime was pressed against the wall by Ulquiorra who had his face buried in the redhead's neck. He could feel the sneer fighting to take over his face as he looked at the state of the woman. Her shirt had been pulled up. She'd been crying. He could see several bruises forming on her neck. Grimmjow couldn't help wondering if Orihime's lips were swollen because he had been kissing her or she was aroused by what was happening. He watched as Ulquiorra stepped back from her and patted her cheek.

 

“Thank you, Woman,” the dark-haired man said in a loud voice. Grimmjow wanted to snatch him up by his scrawny neck and twist it. Ulquiorra had a faint smile on his face as he avoided the blue haired man and slipped out the door. He could see Nel at the top of the stairs, and Ulquiorra nodded at her as he walked over to his own apartment door.

 

The little bastard wasn't worth it. Grimmjow wanted to go after him, but he decided to deal with him later. He had more important matters to attend. He turned his attention back to Orihime who had slid down the wall and was sobbing quietly. He moved to where she sat and gently looked over her.

 

“Princess,” he murmured. He couldn't help notice her flinch every time he moved his hands. “Are you okay?”

 

“What are you doing here?” She asked, her teeth chattering.

 

Grimmjow sighed and helped her pull the thin tank top down over her chest. He then looked around to see if there was anything warmer he could put on her. He didn't see anything.

 

“Nel, look in the closet and see if there's a sweater or something she can put on. Please,” he asked, looking at his girlfriend. The other woman did as he asked and came up with a green hoodie. She walked over and handed it to him.

 

He could see the distress in Orihime's eyes as he unfolded the green material. “What's wrong?”

 

She didn't say anything. She just shook her head back and forth.

 

“I can't help you if you don't talk, Princess,” he said to her. Nothing he said was calming her down. “Orihime, come on. Look at me. He's gone. He won't be coming back here because after I'm done taking care of you, I'm going to—”

 

“Let's not scare her okay?” Nel said as she sat beside the redhead.

 

* * *

 

Nel watched the man with the green eyes walk by Grimmjow. How he survived that, she would never know. When she walked into the apartment, she closed the door. It was chilly in the place. She turned her attention to the scene in front of her.

 

Grimmjow was gently handling the young woman who looked frightened. She followed his request because she was worried about Orihime. When she started freaking out about the hoodie, Nel sat down beside her. She helped Grimmjow put it on her, making comforting sounds as they maneuvered her head and arms into the piece of clothing.

 

The hell started after Grimmjow stood up. Orihime started hysterically crying and begging him not to go. What exactly had Ulquiorra done to her?

 

“Grimm, you need to calm her down. I'm going over to talk to him,” Nel said, standing up. She didn't miss the rage-filled look he gave her. She didn't know why men had to show their dominance by beating the snot out of each other. “What?”

 

“I am not letting him get away with this. Look at her; she's scared!” Grimmjow sneered. He pointed at Orihime who was still sitting on the floor.

 

The woman with the teal hair sighed. “I'm not going to let him get away with this,” Nel told him. “But kicking his ass will not solve anything. Take care of her first.”

 

“Tch,” he scoffed. “You take care of her. I'm going to take care of him.”

 

Nel lowered her voice as she walked by Grimmjow. “I don't have the dick to take care of her. She's your _p_ _rincess_.”

 

With that, Nel took her leave and stepped across the walkway to the other door. She didn't bother knocking; she just walked right into Ulquiorra's apartment. She did not expect to be flung against the door the moment it closed. She didn't expect the shorter man to grab her by the throat.

 

“You fu—Oh.” She saw the anger in his eyes dissipate slowly. “It's you. What do you want?”

 

“What did you do to Orihime?” Nel asked. She could feel his fingers on her throat which briefly squeezed the area before being removed entirely. Her gaze took in the man's appearance which was disheveled. His movements were erratic. She watched as he walked over to a bottle of vodka and poured a shot which he immediately downed.

 

From the time Nel had met Ulquiorra, she always assumed that he was this calm, placid person who spoke in a monotone voice. He never cracked a smile. He was an emotionless robot. He always kept her at arm's length away. He never engaged her in a conversation. His mannerisms towards her were formal and aloof.

 

When she found out that Ulquiorra was going to become a tattoo artist, like her, the berth between them grew wider. She had demanded it because essentially Ulquiorra was going to be associating with criminals and thugs. Nel continued to treat him in the same he treated her, with cool disinterest but that curiosity about people always made her study him. He hadn't given her much to go on until fourteen months ago when he got kicked out of his ex's apartment. She witnessed the beginning of his emotional meltdown.

 

She had snuck out of the bedroom where she had just finished having phenomenal sex with Grimmjow. She had been headed to the bathroom but heard noises coming from the living room. She expected to find Ulquiorra pleasuring himself but instead, Nel saw the dark-haired man appearing frustrated and flustered.

 

Then she saw the drawings of her employee, and Grimmjow explained things. She sought him out after that. Nel wanted to see what he drew of her but never got the courage to ask. Instead, that night on the roof, he admitted having feelings for her and her boyfriend.

 

She'd been shocked, to say the least.

 

Guilt had set in then because she had fed Orihime her fondest memories of Ulquiorra. She nurtured the girl's infatuation at the time. She was responsible for part of the events that took place. If she hadn't stoked Orihime's interest, she would have never met Ulquiorra. The man wouldn't have broken down and none of this would have happened.

 

“Nel,” he stated and then repeated his question. “What do you want? What are you doing here?”

 

“I'm here because...” her words trailed off because she found them hard to say. Thinking about what Grimmjow and the other woman could be doing was a bit of a mind fuck. “I didn't want Grimmjow to get in trouble. I didn't want you to get hurt. I don't want anything to happen either of you.”

 

“Let him come,” he said before taking another shot of the alcohol. “I deserve it.”

 

Nel was overcome by memories of her teenaged years and pushed herself off the door. She walked over to the one chair in the entire apartment and sat down on the drawing stool. “You remind me of someone,” she said quietly.

 

“I do? You've met a lot of rageful assholes in your lifetime?”

 

She gave him a grin, “Yeah. Remember Nnoitora?”

 

“Gilga?”

 

Nel nodded. “He was a self-destructive jerk. You're being a self-destructive jerk. There are a couple of differences though. One, he's dead, and you're not. Two, you're being detrimental because of another human. Nnoitora just liked violence. What did you do to her? Did you force yourself on her? Do I need to notify the police?”

 

She watched as his eyes go wide and shake his head. He was struggling to find words. Nel could tell because he would open his mouth and then shut it quickly. “I was angry. I am angry. She got rid of my child. It hurts. I spent the past two months thinking when I finally saw her we would go back to being in love and happy. I would be a dad.”

 

She could understand that. “You're going to throw your life away because the situation isn't as you expected?”

 

He decided that the floor was very interesting at that moment. When he looked back up at Nel, Ulquiorra had a wounded expression on his face. “I didn't force her. I scared her. I touched her.”

 

“You attacked her again,” Nel replied. “She didn't get rid of the baby. I was there Ulquiorra. I saw the blood running down her legs. I'm the one that stayed with her for two days before going to the clinic. Orihime shut down. She wouldn't talk. She wouldn't eat or smile or anything.”

 

“Why are you defending her?”

 

“Because you have distorted the facts to fit your own deranged thoughts. That is why I am defending her,” Nel replied to his question. “It's obvious that you think as soon as they knew you were out of the picture, she did something, and they started an affair. That's not what happened. There are a lot of factors that went into this. It's as much as my fault as it is his and hers.”

 

“Ha, what did you do? Why is it your fault?”

 

“I blew Grimm off after he got the news. I told him that's what happened when you mess with criminals, and I had predicted something like that would happen,” Nel explained. “They found comfort in each other. Orihime had no one else, no family and the friends she had while in school just would pat her shoulder. That one kid, Ichigo wouldn't even look at her.”

 

He took another shot, slamming the glass down on to the top of the empty console table. Nel could tell the truth was not only a hard pill for him to swallow, it was going to be very bitter. “I'm going to tell you something I told Orihime a long time ago. There are a lot of people on this Earth, Ulquiorra. There might be someone out there that you'll love more and be happier with. You'll get over her eventually.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a strange song selection. I don't know what the hell iTunes was thinking.
> 
> Flock of Seagulls – I Ran  
> Ro James – Permission  
> Ed Sheeran – The Shape of You  
> Garbage - #1 Crush  
> Gorillaz – On Melancholy Hill  
> Hailee Steinfeld, Grey Ft Zedd – Starving  
> Madonna – Human Nature  
> Breaking Benjamin – Without You  
> Sugarland – Stay


	9. Breaking Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ulquiorra is angry. Rules get broke. Part of Nel's curiosity is sated. Later on, our green-eyed man does some soul-searching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
>  
> 
> This chapter contains oral sex! The song that Ulquiorra is listening to (and lyrics quoted) is Avenged Sevenfold's Fiction. 
> 
> I realize that I should have put the part at the end of this chapter in COR, but I didn't feel like it fit there. Yay for random backstory in the middle of the damn story.

After Nel left, Grimmjow sat down beside the red-headed female. He didn't touch her. They didn't speak. He just sat there listening to her sob and cry quietly. It didn't take long for complete silence to fall over the apartment. He could hear the deep rhythmic breaths of the woman beside him.

 

She cried herself to sleep, he thought. With care, making sure not to wake her, he picked her up and moved her to the futon. He tucked her in. His hand brushed the hair off of her face, and he caught a glimpse of the bruises on her neck that were forming. He'd seen the marks on her wrists. It made him angrier.

 

He stood and walked out of the apartment, his footsteps following ones that Nel had took. He didn't open Ulquiorra's door. Grimmjow was going to knock but stopped as he heard yelling inside the apartment.

 

“ _ **I DON'T FUCKING WANT TO GET OVER HER**_!”

 

It was Ulquiorra's voice. If that statement had sounded loud outside the man's apartment, he could imagine what it sounded like inside. His hand dropped, and he retreated to the top step. Grimmjow wasn't used to using logic in situations like this. He just went with instinct or emotions.

 

The only thing that would fix this entire situation would be to rewind time back months ago. He would have never called the other man to inform him of his father's heart attack. Ulquiorra would have remained in America. He wouldn't have come back. Orihime would be with that one guy. He'd have Nel and probably already proposed to her.

 

Realistically speaking, how did this situation get fixed? One side of his brain said to leave Orihime alone and let her mend things with Ulquiorra. The hulking jealous guy on the other side said to take both women and start a harem, leaving the weak, emotionless bitch behind to fend for himself.

  
  
Grimmjow shook his head. Ulquiorra had been his friend for a long time. He'd met the guy when he was around five or six years old. He couldn't remember exactly when. He was now twenty-three years old. That was a long time to be friends with someone. He'd only known Nel since his teenage years when she moved to the town. Orihime was a recent addition to the friendship circle in the past few years.

 

After sitting and mulling things over in the cold night air, he decided the jealous part of his brain was wrong. This was Grimmjow's mistake. As much as he would love to claim Orihime and Nel as his, it wasn't right. It wasn't fair.

 

* * *

 

He hadn't been this angry in a while. No, scratch that. He'd just never been this upset. The first time that jealousy showed him what it was, the situation was just speculation. Orihime was supposedly screwing the kid with the orange hair. He didn't know exactly what the nature of their relationship had been.

 

Nel, his boss, had confirmed that Orihime had taken Grimmjow as a lover. This pain inside of him grew and grew until he was cleaning up and he came across the two pairs of panties he'd taken from her. He clutched them in his fist until he seethed with malice. He threw them in the trash, along with that stupid note she wrote to him months ago. The drawings all went into the garbage. He ripped up everything that reminded him of her. Every one of the sketches and drawings was ruined.

 

When he was done, he'd taken his trash out, putting it into the bin. He couldn't stop himself as he walked past her door. He'd slammed his body against it and started pounding on the surface. He knew what he did to her was wrong. He'd been doing wrong to Orihime since he met her.

 

He thought back to a couple of days and remembered her opening the door. He'd never seen her more beautiful than he did at that second. He was sure that he was going to spend the rest of his life with her. Of course, everything went wrong when they told him the news. His world fell apart.

 

It was just more than anger at her. He was angry at his own mother for keeping him from Orihime. Had she not tried to keep him away from his friends and girlfriend, none of this would be an issue.

 

“Would you calm down?” Nel said.

 

“I am calm,” he said.

 

“It totally sounded like it a couple of seconds ago,” she snarked.

 

Ulquiorra turned and glared at the bright teal haired woman. It seemed like she was trying to push buttons. It was irritating him. “Are you trying to provoke me?”

 

“Provoke you into what, Ulquiorra?” Nel asked in a carefree tone. “I'm just sitting here talking to you. You're the one who's being a dick.”

 

His jaw clenched, and he quickly swallowed another shot of vodka. It didn't matter how many drinks he took; he still didn't feel numb or drunk. His eye gave a small twitch. He knew Nel. She liked mocking him. She liked teasing him. She liked annoying him.

 

Then his brain took him back to a couple of hours earlier when she had solicited him. Unwanted desire curled around his mind. It told him he was frustrated and this woman could take care of that. He didn't want that. He didn't want Nel. He wasn't going to be her petty revenge fuck.

 

Ulquiorra closed his eyes, and when he opened them, Nel was standing in front of him. He had to look up slightly at her because of their three-inch height difference. “I'm not going to be your payback,” he told her.

 

* * *

 

Nel gasped in pleasure, arching her back. Everything that she had heard about the way this man handled sex was the complete opposite of what he was doing. Orihime said that he was rough, precise and to the point. It was conflicting, Nel had seen him in action. She knew he'd been rough with the redhead.

 

Ulquiorra had been nothing but gentle. His head and hands were in between her thighs, and she had her hands tangled in his hair. Her hips squirmed against the friction she was experiencing. She had to bite down on her lip to keep from crying out.

 

She'd kissed him. It'd been just a light brushing of lips, but it was enough to convince him that she wanted him. Nel was tired of being curious. She was tired of hearing stories. She wanted to experience it for herself. Besides, Grimmjow was probably over in the next apartment fucking Orihime's brains out. Why shouldn't she have some fun too?

 

Grimmjow. She couldn't help compare the difference between the two men. With Grimmjow, she mostly played a submissive role while he was the Master. She never questioned this; it was how it was since the first time she found herself impaled on him.

 

Ulquiorra so far had been a give and take. She'd kissed him and he'd taken it upon himself to draw out every ounce of pleasure from her body that he could. Not that she minded. She was not complaining, at all.

 

“Oh,” she moaned as his tongue suddenly swept over a sensitive part of her skin. Nel heard him chuckle. “Shut up.”

 

His fingers were cool as they felt her hot skin. His tongue was replaced, and he looked up at her. His smirk was shiny from the light the streetlamp gave off. The smile threw her off as two of his fingers pushed into her. He felt every fraction of skin he could. Nel could have screamed as he took his time getting her off. Eventually, she had an orgasm... Several of them in a row, in fact.

  
  
He sat with his back against the wall, and she sat in front of him, leaning against his chest. Nel was completely naked, while he still had jeans on. His fingers trailed up and down her chest, occasionally drifting to either side to stroke her nipples or the side of her breasts. It was silent in the apartment.

 

She had tried to start a conversation with him, but every time he quieted her. “Are you sure—”

 

“Shhhh.”

 

“You don't want to?”

 

“Quiet, Nel.”

 

So they sat there until Nel started feeling drowsy. The orgasms and the drama that had taken place today had taken a toll. She was exhausted. She sat up and got to her knees. She felt his hands circle her hips and bring her body against his.

 

“What are you doing?” he asked.

 

“I need to get dressed. I've got to go,” she said.

 

She found herself flipped over onto her back, staring up at him. “Stay here,” he murmured before kissing her. She woke up the next morning to Grimmjow banging on the door.

 

Ulquiorra was still asleep. He was still clothed.

 

Nel broke one of her own rules.

 

* * *

 

He was in his apartment sitting at the drawing desk. Ulquiorra had a clean sheet of thick paper in front of him, pencil poised in hand. His phone was also sitting on the desk playing music through his earbuds.

 

He liked music but he didn't like to sing, and he had no sense of rhythm. He'd been slightly jealous of Grimmjow learning how to play the drums, but he'd been impressed by the blue-haired man singing. When the next song started, he put the tip of the pencil down on the paper and started drawing. He let his hand go on auto-pilot while he thought about some things.

 

His mind drifted to back to before he met Orihime. He maintained a certain level of calm. He didn't get upset. He did not get mad. If something affected him, he let it go. If someone impacted him, he ignored them. Ulquiorra knew why he did this. It was to stop people from hurting him.

 

During his childhood, the nannies attended to his basic needs. His parents provided basic necessities. They had presented him with a house, but not a home. His relatives kept him at an arm's length. The only close friend he had growing up was Grimmjow. The only reason he was friends with him was that the other male had kicked a ball into his face.

 

Ulquiorra hadn't cried. He just picked himself up and dusted off his clothes. The pain didn't seem as intense as long as you were emotionally unattached to the world. He learned not to expect things because of this. People couldn't disappoint him if he didn't count on them.

 

He got older and went through puberty; he realized he had weird feelings for two of the people who were his friends. Grimmjow let him down gently, and he hadn't even approached Nel, but Ulquiorra knew that if he just shut himself off from the rest of the world, he would make it through life.

 

He repressed the emotional reactions of desire and lust. He still felt them, but they were more of an annoyance. Everything he felt was an inconvenience to him. He donned a mask to keep the emotions at bay. He built this thick wall to keep people out and to keep the emotions in.

 

When people showed interest in him, he ran. He pushed them away. The closest he got to express his feelings was through his art; through the study of people. That's why he drew people.

 

If he were angry at someone, they would be harsh lines done with charcoal. He didn't care if the marks smudge and left him with black stained hands. They'd be done with red marker and jagged-edged paper that he had ripped from the sketchbook.

 

If he was bored or calm, he drew people generally with a pencil or sketched out with a pen. His lines were precise. They were composed drawings that to an untrained eye, were somewhat lifelike and beautiful. To another artist, the pieces probably could convey that the person who drew them, was going through the motions.

 

If he felt desire for someone, he drew and drew and drew, until he was so sick of looking at the person. He had done that with Grimmjow. He had done that with Nel. He had done that with Orihime. With the redhead though he did not want to get sick of seeing her face, ever. He used various mediums to sketch the woman out; graphite and colored pencils; pen and ink; oil and chalk pastels; charcoal, markers, and paint.

 

All of that was gone now.

 

He destroyed everything.

 

He had nothing left to suggest she had an impact on him or his life.

 

The issue he was most shocked about dealing with the whole Orihime thing, was the overwhelming sexual desire he had stumbled upon. Growing up and going through his teenage years, he had masturbated a few times, but it was nothing like Grimmjow who boasted he could do it seven times in one day. The whole sex thing was messy and could be an inconvenience. He never needed it in the past. He never wanted it in the past. If any of the previous ex-girlfriends wanted pleasure, he would perform oral sex or use his fingers. Often, he told them to use sex toys.

 

He knew what he liked and what he didn't like when it came to fucking someone else. The rare occasions in the past where he wanted sex were few and far between. He would give into the sensation a couple of times, but it was mostly to try something he had heard or read about. That had been before her.

 

He tried his best to be normal, but at times it didn't seem like it was enough. There were many times his parents would buy him stuff but never give him a hug or say encouraging words to him. There were times he felt so tired and alone, but he had to keep it all together. He had to hide behind his wall and mask.

 

Maybe something had happened to him when Grimmjow had told him that his ex-girlfriend before Orihime was cheating on him. Perhaps, that was the beginning of his mental and emotional breakdown. He remembered not caring what she did. Ulquiorra knew he was just going to end up disappointing her.

 

He'd been right. The fight right after their two year anniversary was proof enough that when she told him that she was fucking someone else and then kicked him out.

 

He didn't understand what happened with Orihime. Ulquiorra wasn't going to try and explain that. He lost control of himself. He forgot who he was because as soon as he saw her the wall that he worked so hard to build came crumbling down.

 

He had stood in the rubble and looked at the destruction he had caused in his life. Ulquiorra knew he was tired of being a failure.

 

He closed his eyes and sighed. The music that was playing in his ears broke through all the thoughts running through his head.

 

“ _I hope you'll find your own way when I'm not with you tonight...”_

 

Ulquiorra looked down at the piece of paper to find he drew Orihime. Her crying face showed that she was scared. He was such a fuck up.

 

_"I hope it's worth it, what's left behind me, yeah..."_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons - Sucker For Pain  
> Halsey - Bad at Love  
> The Smashing Pumpkins - Bodies  
> Hole – Dying  
> In This Moment – River of Fire  
> Avenged Sevenfold – Wish You Were Here  
> Madonna - Secrets  
> Avenged Sevenfold – Fiction  
> Coldplay – Fix You  
> Ron Pope - A Drop In The Ocean  
> Foo Fighters - Stranger Things Have Happen


	10. Melancholy and The Temporary Sadness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything starts falling apart but plans are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> Awwww poor characters *squishes them all together*

The sunlight streamed in through the windows. High above a busy street, on the fifth floor of a remodeled old and small factory warehouse thing, a woman sat with her head bowed over a cup of hot coffee, the tendrils of steam brushing over her face. The heat was curling the aqua baby hairs that refused to be restrained. She was sitting on a bench that Grimmjow had made, looking out the window.

 

The coffee was good. It some was some kind of foreign brand. It was the best kind of coffee that could be purchased, and it was definitely the kind that could wake someone up with one sip. It was practically the only thing she splurged on food wise.

 

Nel didn't know why a week later, she felt melancholy.

 

She had pretty much avoided Ulquiorra while at work. The man ignored her. She told herself that was normal and it was okay. Orihime had been chipper though. The redhead had smiled every day.

 

Usually, when she woke up, there would be coffee already made. He would bring her a cup while she was still sleeping and awake her with tiny kisses. They would tell each other about their plans for the day. For the past week, Grimmjow would leave the house before she got out of bed. He'd be asleep when she got home from work.

 

She would have to make her own coffee. She'd have her own conversations.

 

It was cold and rainy on this early February morning. She had to go to work in a couple hours. Nel should have been showering, putting on makeup and getting dressed. She sat on that bench, looking out over the world outside and staring at the dark brown liquid in her cup. How did it come to be that she sat here crying over a cup of coffee? Another tear dripped down her face and she sniffled.

 

This morning she woke up alone, the new norm. No one was there with the customary cup of coffee, the new usual. It was okay with her because she did not want to talk. Talking was overrated, besides without someone else in the apartment there was nothing really to say. She was tired of the conversations going on in her head, the what ifs and the could have beens.

 

A headache was starting on the inside of her head at the base of her skull. She didn't deal with stress very well. The tension had been thick in the apartment. Nel knew why. He assumed that Nel fucked Ulquiorra. Grimmjow was jealous.

 

He claimed nothing happened between him and Orihime. They slept. Nel had not believed him because he already had fractured the trust she had in him concerning the young woman.

 

She claimed that nothing happened except for the oral sex. She could see why Grimmjow said she was lying. Nel had answered the door naked.

 

They fought in the car. You broke the rules! So did you! It was all back and forth bullshit. Nel ended up stomping up the stairs and locking herself in the bedroom. She turned off her phone and went back to sleep. When she turned her phone back on there was a text from Orihime. A missed call and text from Ulquiorra. Grimmjow left seven messages telling her to open the fucking door.

 

She listened to the voice mail the dark haired man left. Nel didn't answer any of the texts.

 

He started this. He couldn't keep his hand out of other people's cookie jars. She folded her arms over her chest and a scowl set on her face. Grimmjow had no right to be jealous.

 

* * *

 

“Inoue, can you set this gentleman up for another appointment with me in three weeks?” Ulquiorra said as he showed his client to the front counter. He had taken to addressing the redhead by her last name. He didn't look at her. He didn't think about her. She was pretty much just part of the scenery now. He knew the tension was thick at the shop but there was nothing to be done about it. He was trying not to cause a scene. He made himself scarce when Grimmjow walked in the place. He didn't mingle with the others. He didn't even talk to Nel that much.

 

“You are booked at that time,” she said to him after he heard a few keystrokes were entered into the computer. “Every day you are scheduled is booked.”

 

With a sigh, he went around the counter to look at the screen. He didn't like being this close to his former girlfriend but what could he do? She worked here. He worked here. He had learned how to be mostly civil. There were times he made snide comments.

 

“Enable that Monday for me and put him on my schedule,” he said.

 

“You need to ask Nel if I can do that,” she replied in a flat tone.

 

If he had the choice to wrestle a venomous snake or talk to Nel, he'd pick the snake. He turned to the man who he just finished working on. “Does four weeks work?” Ulquiorra asked the man.

 

The matter was settled, and the appointment had been scheduled. He walked back to his room to clean up the mess and break down his machines to sterilize them. He was engrossed in his work when the door opened.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Nel,” he said, after wiping down the leg of the massage table with cleaner. “What can I do for—” He stopped speaking when he saw her. Occasionally, he got flashes of memories from that night. Reliving the details the next morning had left him with a serious case of blue balls. He shifted on the stool. “Do you need something?”

 

“I was wondering if you wanted to join me for lunch,” she said.

 

“Lunch?”

 

She nodded, “Yeah, there's something I want to talk to you about.”

 

“I see. No, thank you,” he stated and went back to cleaning the table. Ulquiorra didn't look up as he heard the door close. He turned in the stool and felt hands on his shoulders.

 

He looked out at the corner of his eye to see Nel was in the room with him. She was touching him and soon he had a lap full of one voluptuous woman. He had to harden his resolve as she kissed him. Her lips were on his mouth, jaw, ear, and neck. “This is your idea of talking?” He managed to ask. He struggled to find words because it became unbearably hot in the room.

 

“No, but,” she breathed.

 

Ulquiorra grabbed her wrists and halted her movements. All he needed was that hesitation to stop her.

 

“But what?” He asked, staring at her. As much as he wanted to give into the woman's body and the pleasure it advertised, he didn't want to be a pawn. He was determined not to get pulled into anything else concerning another human on an intimate level. “I've told you, I'm not interested in being a revenge fuck, Nel. It was a one-time thing.”

 

Her face fell, and she got off his lap. Ulquiorra watched her walk out the door and wondered if he could have been a bigger asshole. He picked up his phone and tapped out a text message. He might as well burn some more bridges.

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow looked at the text message on his phone. Why? Why was Ulquiorra sending him text messages inviting him out for drinks? He didn't want to deal with the other man. The only person he wanted to deal with was Orihime and he'd not talked to or seen her for about a week and some odd days. Well, he'd seen her but it was only in passing as he walked through the building of Candy Ink.

 

The redhead had been so happy when he woke her up the next morning after the whole Ulquiorra incident. He remembered hearing her squeal of joy. Clothes were shed, and he had his way with her. They lay on her futon for a long while, cuddling.

 

He wasn't used to cuddling. Nel didn't seem to like it but looking at who she was in a relationship with before him; it was understandable. Nnoitra had been a bastard of such epic proportions that he could easily eclipse Grimmjow.

 

But his princess looked cute with that blush on her face, tracing his muscles and talking to him. The smile had been worth it. Since Nel was nowhere to be found at Orihime's or in the car. He knew where to look. He hadn't been disappointed as she answered the door naked.

 

He knew she was just getting back at him, but she said they didn't have sex. Okay, he was still pissed off about it. He was mad that the dark-haired man touched Orihime.

 

There were two scenarios he could go for at that moment. One, Grimmjow could invite Orihime along and Ulquiorra would have to suffer through the meeting in order not to be a jerk. Two, they could get drunk and start beating on each other. The third option was that both of the former options happened. None of the choices seemed to be a mature, thought out way to repair things.

 

Grimmjow accepted the offer and told him when he'd be available. Then he called Nel. She picked up after a couple of rings.

 

“What?”

 

“I'm gonna be going out later this week,” Grimmjow said. He frowned because Nel sounded upset. “You okay?”

 

“Like you care,” she sniffled.

 

He sighed. He knew that ignoring her was going to come back and bite him on the ass. “Nel, just because I'm mad, doesn't mean I hate you. I still love you.”

 

He heard her sniffling some more. “Anyway, Ulquiorra wants to talk to me about something. I told him the earliest I was available was this weekend.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“You thought I was going over to Orihime's, didn't you?” he asked. Women. There was no way he was going to see her until everything got smoothed over. “Why don't you talk to her? Have a girl's night out. Take her shopping with you. Take her to your pole dancing class or whatever it is.”

 

“I hate shopping,” the woman said.

 

“Take a damn spa day then.”

 

“Why? Is it that important to you that I talk to her?” Nel asked. He could still hear her sniffling through the phone.

 

If he said what he wanted to say, he was probably going to get in trouble. If he gave a half-ass reply, he was probably going to get in trouble. Fuck it, he was going to say what he wanted to say since either way looked like drama. “I want my women to be happy,” Grimmjow said, his voice dropping in volume.

 

He was the only one in his workshop. It's not like he needed to whisper to her. He felt that familiar desire flood his senses and that is why his voice took a low, sensual tone. Truth be told, he kind of missed Nel. “Talk to her, Nel. Get everything out in the open. You'll feel better,” he said.

 

* * *

 

Orihime was flipping through one of the magazines that arrived in the mail today. She didn't have anything else to do. Everyone was working, they had their supplies, and she just got to sit up here to wait for random people to walk in.

 

The black curtain parted, and Nel stepped into the waiting area. Orihime got really interested in an article about whatever was on the page. If anyone quizzed her on it, she wouldn't be able to tell them a thing about what she stared at.

 

“Hey,” Nel said.

 

The redhead looked up and smiled, “Hi Nel! Your next appointment is in forty-five minutes.”

 

This was something else she did. She basically was a timekeeper for the artists. Orihime was kind of glad that she would be taking entrance exams soon because once she was accepted into a university, she could quit her job and her aunt would support her until she graduated and went off into the world as an actual adult.

 

“I know. I actually came up here to ask if you wanted to grab a coffee or something later. Maybe have a girl's night out? Shopping trip? Want to go to Yumichika's with me? A spa day?”

 

Orihime's eyes went wide as Nel talked. Then her eyebrows shot up. “Um, I don't know. This isn't a trap is it?”

 

“No, Doll. We need to talk,” Nel said. “I tell you what. Next day you're off, I'll make sure I'm off. We will get coffee, go shopping, get pedicures, then go to my place, watch movies and eat pizza.”

 

Orihime nodded with a real smile. “That sounds like a great idea, Nel.”

 

Neither woman had noticed the curtain had been pulled back slightly or that the man with black hair had been listening to the conversation.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kozi – Honey Vanity  
> The Smashing Pumpkins – Jellybelly  
> Miyavi – Girls, Be Ambitious  
> Foo Fighters – Everlong (Acoustic)  
> The Smashing Pumpkins – In the Arms of Sleep  
> The Fray - Never Say Never  
> Amanda Marshall - I'll Be Okay


	11. I Need Drama Like I Need A Hole In My Head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ulquiorra and Grimmjow apologize to each other but then they get themselves into trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
>  
> 
> SEX and IT'S THREESOME TIME! There is mention of anal sex (m/f) in this chapter!

Days later, Ulquiorra was sitting at a booth in the bar, peeling the label from the bottle of beer when Grimmjow flopped down on the bench across from him. The blue haired man signaled for a waitress. When the woman walked over, he said, “Bottle of beer, please.”

 

The woman nodded and left, only to return a few moments later with the drink. After they were alone again, the dark haired man looked at the other one. “I'm sorry,” Ulquiorra said. “I mean it, I apologize.”

 

Grimmjow's eyebrows raised but he didn't reply. Of course, he was going to make this difficult, Ulquiorra thought to himself. “I apologize for stepping over a boundary I did not know was there. I'm apologizing for stepping over it even after I knew it was there. What I did; it was inexcusable.”

 

The blue-haired man let out this amused scoff and took a drink of the beer in front of him. “I'm not the one you should be saying sorry to. You didn't attack me. But, while we're asking forgiveness, I'm sorry too.”

 

“We all do stupid shit when presented with grief. Look at me, I came back to Japan,” Ulquiorra intoned. “We're humans, I guess.”

 

Grimmjow nodded. “I know what I did was wrong, man. I dishonored our friendship. I took comfort in the wrong person. It wouldn't have been so bad if she had someone around, like family or other friends. They pretty much deserted her the night you disappeared.”

 

Ulquiorra showed no emotion to that statement. He didn't feel like talking about the redhead at the moment. “Nel keeps soliciting me. She keeps tempting me.”

 

“And?”

 

“I told her I'm not being her revenge against you,” Ulquiorra answered.

 

“You've already fucked her, so why—Wait,” Grimmjow said after he swallowed another drink of the alcohol. “Are you saying she's telling the truth that you two didn't—well, you know?”

 

“We did not. I didn't allow her to touch me. I went down on her,” he replied. He sighed, the tightening of his jeans becoming uncomfortable as he thought about that night. “I was semi-drunk, I was going to, but we fell asleep.”

 

Ulquiorra saw Grimmjow frown and stare at the table top. Finally, the other man spoke, “Shit. I'm gonna have to apologize to Nel. I called her a liar. You know what we could do?”

 

The dark haired man knew anytime Grimmjow said that particular line, it was the equivalent of some child saying, “Mom, watch this!” or a grown man saying, “Hold my drink!” It usually was going to end badly.

 

You know what we could do?

 

Get in trouble was the usual outcome.

 

After he heard the idea, Ulquiorra looked at Grimmjow completely flabbergasted. He drained his beer and shook his head. He could not believe his friend and voiced this opinion. “Are you fucking crazy? Wait, don't answer that. I know the answer. You're delusional.”

 

“I'm not delusional, man,” Grimmjow replied.

 

“Why don't we do the same thing to Orihime?” Ulquiorra said, his voice full of scorn. His suggestion caused a growl to come from Grimmjow. This made him laugh not in amusement but contempt. He brought the bottle to his lips but found it empty. “I need another drink.”

 

* * *

 

The men entered the apartment as quietly as they could. It wasn't really late, but Grimmjow didn't want to alert Nel to the fact that he'd brought someone back with him. He shed his belongings and then motioned for Ulquiorra to follow him. The men walked across the living room and into the hallway. The apartment was silent and completely dark.

 

After the dark haired man mentioned using Orihime like that, Grimmjow had changed the subject and bought another round of bottles. He didn't want to get angry, so they both decided that the redhead was off limits for discussion of anything. Ulquiorra had merely shrugged.

 

Both men drank five beers each before catching a taxi to drop them off at the blue-haired man's house. Neither of them wanted to walk that far, and both were pretty buzzed to be driving. Nel would have kicked Grimmjow's teeth in if he got behind a steering wheel while drinking.

 

He put a finger up to his lips before turning the doorknob. The piece of wood swung open. Grimmjow shuffled into the room and turned on the lamp that sat on the table beside his side of the bed. It gave off a dim light.

 

She was right there, just like he thought. Sleeping naked, sprawled out in the middle of the enormous bed, somewhat lying on her stomach and side, one leg pulled up and thrown over a pillow, showing both men the area between them. His gazed flicked from the woman to the other man who still stood in the doorway. He grinned at Ulquiorra and motioned to Nel.

 

The other man shook his head and frowned. This made Grimmjow groan. Was Mr.-High-and-Mighty-Morals having conflict about messing around with a sleeping woman? He walked over to Ulquiorra. “What?” he whispered.

 

“I don't know. I just don't feel comfortable,” Ulquiorra replied.

 

Grimmjow grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him into the room. He then closed the door and pinned Ulquiorra against it. “What's wrong?”

 

“I've never done anything like this,” he stated.

 

“Have you ever watched a porn? I know you have. Working at Shinji's was a sausage party. It's easy; you bury your face in her like you know you want to do. You make her come. Then we both fuck her at the same time. Everyone is happy,” Grimmjow growled. He knew it was the alcohol talking, but he leaned very close to Ulquiorra's ear and pressed his body closer to the other male. “Unless you just want to deal with me and let Nel find us. I'm sure we could make enough noise to wake her up.”

 

The shorter man shivered and pushed Grimmjow away from him. This made the blue haired man grin because those green eyes were glaring at him. He knew he wasn't being fair, but Grimmjow liked playing dirty at times. He liked exploiting weaknesses when it warranted it. Anything knowledge that he had would be used against others for his own nefarious purposes.

 

Years ago, Ulquiorra had told him that he liked Grimmjow, not just in a friend way but more than a friend. They'd been drinking. Grimmjow made some inappropriate remarks. Nothing came out of the entire incident except some awkward kisses and groping before Grimmjow told him he could be the third wheel in his current relationship.

 

“C'mon, Ulquiorra,” Grimmjow purred, his tongue rolling the R's in the other man's name. “All you gotta do it submit to me.”

 

“Fuck you, Grimmjow.”

 

He chuckled, “You want me too? I can.”

 

Ulquiorra shook his head and pushed past Grimmjow. The blue haired man watched as Ulquiorra took off his shirt and socks. Grimmjow followed his lead, leaving his jeans on. Then he moved to the side of the bed Nel faced.

 

“Nel,” Grimmjow said softly. He nodded at Ulquiorra who started kissing his girlfriend's round ass. He could see the man making his way lower and smiled as Nel's breathing increased. “Nelliel, wake up baby.”

 

“Mmmm,” she moaned. Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled at him. Ulquiorra was moving again. “That feels good Grimm.”

 

“It looks like it feels good,” he said before kissing her. “Roll onto your stomach, get on your knees.”

 

He watched as the dark haired man shifted quickly out of the way as Nel sleepily moved her body. Her eyes were still closed. This was a good thing. He nodded at the other man to continue. Grimmjow let his hands run over that firm skin that was pointed towards the ceiling and over the woman's tattooed back.

  
Grimmjow could only stare as his girlfriend responded to the other man's touch. Nel's mouth opened, and she panted. He decided that this was very hot. He idly wondered if Orihime would respond like Nel was. Just that thought made his already hard cock, harder as he watched Nel's hips roll and grind against his friend's face.

 

Nel, he could accept doing this. Orihime, no.

 

* * *

 

The woman was having a dream that could only be explained as bliss. She heard Grimmjow talking to her. She felt his mouth on her, but it morphed into another person. The touches weren't exactly his, but they felt familiar. Nel's eyes opened slightly, and she saw Grimmjow looking down at her with a smirk on his face. She still felt that tongue between her legs. She must still be dreaming.

 

“Roll over onto your back, Nel.”

 

She listened to the voice, and the mouth between her legs disappeared but returned. She lifted her head expecting to see bright blue hair, but her eyes went wide when she saw black hair. Her eyes looked up at the face above her, Grimmjow smiled.

 

He then leaned down and whispered, “Are you awake? I brought you home a present. Do you like it?”

 

A moan escaped her lips as Ulquiorra's tongue slid down and into her. Her hands gripped the sheet beneath her. Her legs were shoved towards her chest, and she gasped as Grimmjow took hold of them. The position allowed the other man to have better access to her.

 

She cried out when she felt two of those pale fingers slide into her. It was just like the last time with him. He was teasing her. Her hips rolled on their own. She was trying to find some type of release. Ulquiorra's mouth moved to her thigh, and she felt him nibble and bite the skin. This made her jump, and a high whine left her.

 

The chuckle came from both men. Grimmjow leaned down and kissed her. “You're close, aren't you Nelliel? Do you like his mouth?”

 

“Uh huh,” she moaned. She felt one of Grimm's hands let go of one of her legs and it landed on her breast. He squeezed the nipple hard. Her body arched off the bed. She could feel Ulquiorra's fingers pressing against her, the motion beckoning her.

 

“We're both going to take you Nelliel, at the same time.”

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra lay between Nel and Grimmjow, naked like the other two. He wasn't sure how he ended up in between them. It'd been a jumble of legs and arms. There had been one point in time he had been wedged between the couple. Mouths and fingers were everywhere, and he was confident that he'd touched and kissed Grimmjow several times.

 

He had let instinct take over and just went with the flow of what was happening. He found himself on his back. It felt weird having himself buried deep inside of Nel and feeling Grimmjow above them. Nel hissed, and he wasn't sure if it was in pain or another reason. He'd try to distract her from what Grimmjow was doing by touching her chest, kissing her.

 

His fingers had reached between their bodies, stroking the woman's clit. The moan that came from her made his cock twitch inside her. Ulquiorra had never done what Grimmjow was currently doing. If he had known that Grimmjow had planned on taking Nel like that, he would have never agreed to it. Anal sex had never crossed his mind, but as soon as the distressed look left her face, he started moving in unison with the other man.

 

The pace was slow, with each man eventually finding their own rhythm. Ulquiorra had caught Grimmjow's gaze as they fucked the latter man's girlfriend. He felt exposed when he saw those blue eyes stare into his. The look had not sat well with him.

 

Nel completely missed the glance; her eyes were squeezed tightly shut. She was moaning and babbling about more; deeper; harder; faster; please as she bounced on both men.

 

Grimmjow was the first one to come. His grunts and groans were loud, followed by Nel who had screamed out. Ulquiorra bit his lip hard, almost drawing blood as he emptied himself into the woman. Now, in the aftermath, Grimmjow was snoring beside him, and Nel lay on the other side, facing away from the men.

 

He sighed and figured he could slip out of the bed, get dressed and then leave. He'd walk back home; the cold air would sober him up. He'd go back to ignoring Nel and never mention this to Grimmjow. He slowly sat up and scooted to the end of the bed. He found clothes and quickly got dressed. He stood and slipped out of the bedroom. All he had to do was get his shoes, hoodie, and coat.

 

He was almost to the door when he heard a voice behind him. He wanted to curse.

 

“Running away so soon?”

 

He turned to see Nel standing in the doorway of the hall. Her hair was a cloud of tangles, and she was covered up by a white silk robe. Her arms folded across her chest as she leaned against the door frame.

 

“What do you want me to say, Nel?” he asked. Ulquiorra was leaving because he wanted to avoid an awkward conversation in the morning. He felt weird like he had been used.

 

“I don't know,” she said. He saw her move into the room, coming closer to him. “He's going to wonder where you went.”

 

The dark-haired man shrugged in the darkness. “And?”

 

“Why are you leaving?”

 

“We didn't hurt you, did we?”

 

“Hmm? No,” Nel replied. He heard her sigh. “I need an answer. Why are you leaving?”

 

Ulquiorra shook his head. Why did it matter _WHY_ he was leaving? He didn't need to justify his leaving to anyone. He felt uncomfortable, and he just wanted to get out of there. He didn't like how Grimmjow pressured him into this. He didn't like what Grimmjow did to Nel. It made him think of Grimmjow and Orihime; he didn't want to _THINK_ about what the blue-haired man did with her, especially that. If he had done that to Orihime, Ulquiorra was going to kill the other man. “I don't know. I wanted to avoid embarrassment.”

 

She then was standing in front of him, looking down at him. Ulquiorra hated the fact that he had to look up at her. Her hand moved to brush his hair out of his eyes, and he caught her fingers with his. “Why are you embarrassed?” she whispered.

 

“Nel, just... Go back to Grimmjow. Let me leave,” he stated. He didn't feel like exposing himself to this woman. Years ago, he might have had interest in her, but he had slammed a wall down on it because Grimmjow wanted her. Ulquiorra had stepped aside to let his friends be happy. “We will go back to ignoring each other.”

 

Ulquiorra didn't think Nel was the sexually aggressive type. She had followed Grimmjow's every command without question, so he was surprised when he found himself backed against a wall for the second time that night. Her body pressed against him. “I don't want you to ignore me,” she said to him.

 

“Nel,” he said in a defeated tone. He didn't know how it all ended up like this. How did his former girlfriend end up on his best friend's dick? How had his best friend's girlfriend ended up naked in his apartment? How did he end up having a threesome with his so-called best friend and the man's girlfriend?

 

“Ulquiorra?”

 

“If I knew Grimmjow was going to do that to you, I would have never come back here with him. I didn't know he was going to hurt you,” he whispered. That was all he was going to reveal to the aqua-haired woman about what was bothering him, and he hoped it was enough. He didn't want to go into the fact that he felt he had been used.

 

He was the petty revenge fuck.

 

* * *

 

Nel didn't mean to laugh at the guy, but he was so naive and sweet at times that it was hard not to be amused. Throughout the entire encounter, she felt this hesitation from Ulquiorra. There was some reason that he held back. When she felt him move off the bed, it basically confirmed her fear he regretted it. She really didn't know what to say to him to relieve his worries.

 

“I liked what you did. I liked what Grimmjow did,” Nel told him. She might as well lay it all out for him. “Grimm is—he's well endowed. Having another man inside of me while he was... I'm not used to it. It was intense. This was the first time I've had a threesome.”

 

“Oh.”

 

That one word was heavy. Once again he was holding back something. If she let him leave, he might enter that emotional meltdown state again. “There's something else bothering you,” Nel said.

 

She saw his head shake back and forth. “You're lying. I can tell from your voice. I've had years to study you, Ulquiorra. Your face may not betray you, but your voice does. Your choice of words do. What happened to that guy a couple of weeks ago who called me and left a voicemail saying he hoped I enjoyed myself? The one that wanted to know if he lived up to my expectations?”

 

“He ended up being a pawn,” came the reply.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sia – Titanium  
> The Smashing Pumpkins - Bodies  
> The Weeknd – Often  
> The Weeknd - Earned It  
> DJ Snake Ft Justin Beiber - Let me Love you  
> Chris Brown – Privacy  
> T-Pain - Backseat Action  
> Tank - When We  
> Counting Crows – Colorblind  
> Clint Mansell - Dead Reckoning


	12. Attack on Taller People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nel and Orihime have a girl's day out. Ulquiorra attacks Grimmjow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> UST, MILD VIOLENCE, and m/m action. Nothing too graphic.
> 
> I'm not sorrrrrry... It's human nature... *singing*
> 
> Find me on Tumblr where I post random musings about nothing! want to request something? http://espada-iv.tumblr.com/

Orihime smiled as she picked out a wild greenish blue color of polish. It reminded her of Grimmjow's and Nel's hair. It was almost dark enough to represent Ulquiorra's eyes. Her face fell slightly with that thought, and she put the glass bottle back on the shelf.

 

“I like that color,” Nel said in a rather chipper voice. “You should get it if you like it.”

 

“No,” she said with a smile. “It's not my color. I'll probably just get pink.”

 

The women had spent the entire day together. They talked. They laughed. They avoided important subjects like Grimmjow and Ulquiorra. They also didn't talk about how the tension in the tattoo shop had become almost oppressive and bordered on hostile over the past two weeks. Most of the friction had been between Nel and Ulquiorra. Occasionally, when Grimmjow showed up there would be a spark of conflict between the three of them.

 

She didn't know what was going on. No one had said a word to her. One day things were tolerable, and then the next day it felt like things could explode at any moment. Of course, she tried to be friendly to everyone, and she acted like there was absolutely nothing wrong.

 

The only time she deviated from this behavior was when she was alone at home. She spent a lot of time alone now that Grimmjow wasn't coming to see her. He would text or call her every day. It wasn't the same. With studying for exams and university looming on the horizon, she would have welcomed the distraction of another person's company.

 

Which is why she was so happy today. The women had done everything that Nel said they would do. They got coffee which had been delicious. They'd spent a reasonable amount of time and money shopping. Orihime had found several cute things, and Nel had even helped her pick out a skimpy little nightgown. She had been waiting for the teal haired woman to say something about the whole situation but she hadn't... Yet.

  
After the shopping, they went to Nel's favorite salon for the pedicures. Orihime didn't understand why she felt so conflicted whenever she thought of Ulquiorra. She told herself she didn't miss him. He was a jerk. He was a jealous bastard! Grimmjow was more caring than the other man would ever be. She had convinced herself that whatever pain she felt concerning Ulquiorra was just the grief of the miscarriage. But why did seeing a bottle of nail polish that could almost be the color of his eyes affect her so much?

 

She looked away from the greens and blues and picked a super bright neon red.

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra opened the door of Grimmjow's workshop and walked in the small building. The blue-haired man had his back to him. He couldn't have heard him enter the shop. Grimmjow had a pair of headphone like things on his head, and the whirl of a saw he was using overrode any other sound.

 

The man with the black hair didn't really know why he was here on his day off. He just knew that he needed to talk to someone. He couldn't call his old friends because they pretty much had dismissed him when it was announced he had died.

 

There was no one else though.

 

He didn't want to clue his coworkers into his problems. Nel was out of the question. He couldn't even look at Orihime, let alone talk to her. He didn't want to talk to Grimmjow either.

 

This feeling of being used was eating away at him, and he wanted it to stop because he felt like he was going insane again. His brain was telling him that Nel had used him just to get back at Grimmjow and Grimmjow had used him as an excuse to hurt Nel. The guilt was a tremendous burden to bear.

 

It showed too. He could barely function at work when Nel was around because he kept seeing her from that night. It turned him on. He'd stare at her. When Grimmjow would come in to see Nel, indignation would bristle and Ulquiorra became hostile. He would say snide things to Orihime, Grimmjow and Nel. He had to have an answer from Grimmjow.

 

So, he waited until the man turned the saw off by flipping a switch. He was quiet until the man pivoted and practically jumped when he saw Ulquiorra standing by the door. He'd scared him. The headphones were ripped from his ears, and Ulquiorra could see the anger on Grimmjow's face.

 

“What the hell do you want?” Grimmjow growled, throwing the headphones on a table.

 

“Nothing really. I had a day off,” he replied.

 

“Get lost,” the blue-haired man said.

 

“Do I bother you that much? If you're mad about what happened, I'll just be obvious and point out that you instigated it.”

 

A low snarl came from the taller man. He was taking deep breaths, and it seemed like he was trying to keep control of himself. “What do you want?” Grimmjow asked again, this time through gritted teeth.

 

Ulquiorra felt a weird flash of desire run through him. Did he find it attractive that Grimmjow was angry? Was he remembering that night and how his body felt? Why? This strange sensation morphed into something else that he couldn't explain.

 

Provocation was the word that came to mind. The frustration of desire and Grimmjow's anger was provoking him.

 

The smaller man launched himself at Grimmjow.

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow knew a couple of things at that moment.

 

  1. _He was angry._

 




The reason for Grimmjow's anger was the fact that Ulquiorra had burned the idea of taking Orihime like he took Nel into his brain. It disturbed him that he wanted to see the redhead impaled and stretched on two men. She was his princess and he wouldn't defile her like that. The imagery wouldn't fucking leave his head thought. No matter how many times he fucked Nel or jerked off. It. Would. Not. Go. Away.

 

It frustrated him because whenever he looked at the Orihime, he wanted her badly. He wanted to sink himself into her, repeatedly. Fortunately, most of the time when he did see her, she was working. She would give him a bright smile, he'd scowl as he stomped past her. He didn't go into Candy Ink much these days.

 

It'd been almost a month since he had spent time alone with her. He didn't want to see her until Nel had a chance to talk to her. If those two could air their grievances, then he would continue their relationship. He didn't give a fuck if Ulquiorra lived next door either. He'd make her scream loud enough the other man would be able to feel it.

 

  1. _The other man was stupid._




 

As for Ulquiorra being stupid, well that was obvious. Grimmjow was about sixty pounds heavier and six or seven inches taller than the other man. He braced himself as Ulquiorra slammed into him and stumbled back a couple of feet.

 

What did the small man expect to accomplish by attacking him?

 

It would only piss him off more. Orihime would still be his.

 

He watched as Ulquiorra stared at him with a dark expression. In all the years that Grimmjow had known the man, he'd never seen him as an antagonist. They'd never been enemies. He and Ulquiorra had been best friends; they were “bros.” They had shared a lot of stuff throughout their lives.

 

Grimmjow was surprised when the small man landed a hard punch on his face. He'd been too busy with his thoughts to actually pay attention to him for a fraction of a second. He stumbled backward and fell to the floor. He wasn't quick enough to roll to the side and avoid Ulquiorra jumping on top of him. The moment the man landed on him, blows started coming.

 

It didn't take much for Grimmjow to overpower the man and flip him over onto his back. He glared down at the green eyes. “You think you can take me?” he snapped at Ulquiorra.

 

Pain erupted in his head. Sure, this asshole would pull hair. He found himself toppled over onto his back again with the dark haired male pinning him down. “I know I can,” Ulquiorra replied in an emotionless voice, releasing the blue hair.

 

Grimmjow was now vaguely aware of the fact there were hands around his throat. It pissed him off. He raised a fist and slammed it into Ulquiorra's rib cage. The hands were gone and a howl of pain sounded through the workshop. The blue haired man took this as an opportunity to take control of this fight. He threw his weight sideways, rolling over so that he was once more on top.

 

He saw the strike coming. Grimmjow wasn't getting hit again. He forcefully seized the man's wrist and slammed it to the floor. Another pale hand tried to swipe at him. Now, he had Ulquiorra pinned to the floor. Both men were panting from the exertion of the fight.

 

A grin spread across his face as the smaller man tried to use his legs as leverage to buck Grimmjow off. It didn't work. Grimmjow didn't move. No matter how much the man beneath him bent his knees and arch his body, he did not budge. After several attempts at this failed, Ulquiorra cursed, which made him smirk. There was nowhere for the smaller man to go. Grimmjow had made sure he had him pinned down.

 

It took a good thirty seconds for Grimmjow to comprehend the position of their bodies. He was between Ulquiorra's legs, the man's legs spread apart on either side of his thighs. He was uncomfortable though. He shifted his body and groaned softly. He was turned on.

 

Grimmjow looked down at their bodies, surprised to see the telling signs of his erection. The blue haired man let his eyes slowly travel up the body beneath him. He saw the front of Ulquiorra's own jeans tented out. He watched the man's chest rise and fall rapidly. He glanced at the pale face. The man's mouth was parted slightly. Under half-lidded, smoldering eyes that dark expression was back. Grimmjow had some difficulty swallowing as he shifted his lower body closer. He had to bite back a moan because of how intense the friction felt against his skin.

 

This was an unexplored area for Grimmjow. It was easy to have mistakenly kissed or touched Ulquiorra that night. The alcohol had helped. His dick had been running the show, not his brain. He'd responded. He didn't think. He had been too turned on by events and actions. The way they stared each other down the night, they both fucked Nel didn't really relieve anything. It left more things unresolved.

 

He'd never been attracted to other males. They didn't really do anything for him. Why was he turned on now? Why did he want to explore this? Why was he hard? Why was he contemplating taking Ulquiorra back to his apartment?

 

Grimmjow remembered waking the next morning expecting to see both Ulquiorra and Nel in bed. He'd gotten irritated when Nel told him that he left after they were all finished. She told him, Ulquiorra felt like a pawn.

 

He would never use Ulquiorra for anything.

 

The exception being now. Now, he wanted to use the man for something.

 

Grimmjow leaned forward, spreading Ulquiorra's legs further apart and brought his lips down to his mouth. He still had a hold of the other man's arms, and he could feel Ulquiorra struggle trying to free them. There was no way in hell the blue-haired man was going to let go of those arms. His face was starting to ache where the man landed a punch. He pulled back slightly and looked at his friend.

 

“What?”

 

“I'm going to let your arms go. If you hit me again, we'll finish this,” Grimmjow growled before kissing him roughly again.

 

* * *

 

It had crossed his mind that he was experiencing some type of mental breakdown as he felt the restraints on his arms lift. He was going to hit him. He wanted to beat him. He wanted to destroy the man above him. He didn't want to be turned on.

 

Instead of punching him, Ulquiorra found his hands reaching out, tangling in those electric blue locks of hair. He pulled Grimmjow down again, crushing their mouths together. Ulquiorra broke the kiss for air then attacked the other man's neck. He did the same thing that he'd done to Orihime, biting and sucking on the skin, making sure to bruise and mark him.

 

He made sure to keep away from Grimmjow's neck tattoo. He didn't want anything to mar his work. He felt hands on his chest and shoulders. The heat he sensed upon his legs was Grimmjow rocking against him.

 

His flushed mouth made it's way up to Grimmjow's ear where he gently bit the earlobe, earning him a growl. Just to see how much pain Grimmjow could tolerate, Ulquiorra pulled sharply on the other man's hair.

 

“You fucker,” Grimmjow snarled.

 

“Fuck you,” Ulquiorra hissed into the man's ear before moving his mouth to bite the skin right below his jaw.

 

Grimmjow pulled back and grabbed his wrists again, bringing them up and over his head. The dark haired man struggled although he knew it was useless. Ulquiorra knew how to play dirty, after all, he learned from Grimmjow. He'd seen Nel and Orihime do it enough times that he could copy their movements.

 

He slowly rolled his hips against the other man. He'd never seen the man's blue eyes become so dark, so fast. Grimmjow was against him again, pushing their hips firmly together. His mouth pried Ulquiorra's lips open, tongue sliding against tongue.

 

It was on his mind to bite him. Grimmjow must have sensed him wanting to strike because he pulled back just as Ulquiorra's teeth came together with a precise click.  


 

“Heh,” the taller man chuckled.

 

Those green eyes watched as his friend's head dipped lower. He was breathing heavily either from the activity or arousal, Ulquiorra wasn't sure. He felt teeth scrape his neck and then lips sealed against the skin Grimmjow licked and sucked, returning the bites, making the dark-haired man moan over and over.

 

Hands were under his shirt, feeling the skin there. When had Grimmjow let him go? It didn't take long before Ulquiorra's hands were trying to pull the other man's shirt off his back.

 

“Wait a minute,” Grimmjow said, panting just as hard as he was.

 

“What the fuck?”

 

“I don't want to do this—”

 

“What the fuck do you mean you don't want to do this?”

 

“I don't want to do this here!” Grimmjow shouted. “Let me fucking finish before you assume things!”

 

“Where the fuck do you want to go? Do you want to fuck in your car? My apartment? Where?”

 

“My place is closer.”

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow drove like the hounds of hell were on his ass. Ulquiorra sat beside him, in the passenger seat, quiet the entire time. They didn't touch. They didn't look at each other.

 

In no time at all, they were at the old building. As soon as Grimmjow parked the car, he was out of it. He came around to the other side and practically pulled the other man out, slamming him against the car. He claimed that pale mouth again before stalking into the building.

 

He didn't know what to think. What the fuck was he thinking? He should have just punched Ulquiorra in the damn face, and this entire thing would be done with. He could hear Ulquiorra behind him. Grimmjow jogged up those five flights of stairs.

 

Once the door was unlocked, he waited for the other man to enter the apartment before slamming it shut. Coats were shed into a pile on the floor. They toed their shoes off. Grimmjow absently threw his keys at the counter but they didn't make it. The tall man had him against the metal surface, kissing Ulquiorra again.

 

Grimmjow felt like he was on fire as he grabbed a fistful of Ulquiorra's t-shirt and pulled him into the hallway. The bedroom door opened and slammed shut a few seconds later.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chemical Brothers – Galvanized  
> Madonna – Human Nature


	13. Caught Red Handed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys have a boy's day in. They get caught. Nel and Orihime talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> MENTION OF BLOWJOBS (m/m)

Nel and Orihime were walking up the stairs probably twenty minutes after Grimmjow had arrived. The tall woman was surprised to find the door unlocked. She opened it, becoming even more baffled as she walked inside. The women set down their bags and looked around the room.

  
  
“Grimmjow's keys are on the floor,” she said quietly, picking them up.

 

“Um, Nel?” Orihime said in a confused tone. The redhead was pointing to another pile. “Those are Ulquiorra's shoes, and that's his coat. Here's his hoodie.”

 

The aqua haired woman's brow furrowed, and she glanced around. The way the stuff on the floor looked as if it was discarded in a hurried fashion. She would have been standing there for a few more minutes had she not heard the low groan.

 

Her eyes shifted in the direction of the bedroom. She turned and glanced at Orihime. “Did you hear that?” she whispered. The redhead nodded. Nel motioned for Orihime to quietly follow her.

 

They crept into the hallway and stopped in front of the bedroom door. Nel could hear faint noises coming from the other side of the door and her eyes narrowed. If Grimmjow was behind this door with another female, she was going to castrate him. She had plans to fling the door open but if he was with another woman, she didn't want Orihime to see.

 

The poor girl probably couldn't handle that right at the moment.

 

She gripped the doorknob and turned it slowly so it wouldn't make any noise. She then pushed the door open. As the barrier revealed the room, Nel eased her head in and looked at the scene before her.

 

Her mouth went dry. Her face became red. Grimmjow. Ulquiorra. Naked. The men had their mouths on each other. Ulquiorra was laying on top of Grimmjow; his head was in Grimmjow's lap. Grimmjow had his face buried between the other man's legs.

 

She quickly pulled her head back and shut the door. Nel turned to Orihime and grabbed her hand, leading her to the other room. She let go of the other woman and started pacing the floor. Nel didn't know what was worse. She had expected a woman with Grimmjow but it had been... She couldn't comprehend what she just saw.

 

“What?” the young woman asked. Her expression was instantly full of concern. “Nel, what's wrong?”

 

Nel shook her head. She couldn't even find the words to describe what she saw. She felt a tight band across her throat, and she tried to swallow. She couldn't. She didn't know what to say or think.

 

Another groan sounded, this one louder. It was followed by a distinct monotone voice saying, “Fuck.”

 

* * *

 

Both men lay on their backs on the bed, trying to catch their breaths, their chests heaving. Grimmjow was basking in post-orgasm euphoria. A small smile played across his lips and he sighed in contentment.

 

“What the fuck?”

 

Grimmjow lifted his head and looked over at the other man. “What?”

 

“Nothing, just, what the fuck?”

 

The blue haired man chuckled and rolled over, so he was facing Ulquiorra. “Was it that good?”

 

“Fuck you.”

 

“I tried.”

 

“I didn't say a damn thing about fucking each other,” Ulquiorra replied.

 

“You implied you wanted to fuck in my car and your apartment,” he stated with a grin on his face. Grimmjow pulled Ulquiorra closer to him. The smaller man tried in vain to scramble away. “Stop moving.”

 

“Don't tell me you want to cuddle,” Ulquiorra complained, before pushing the tall man away.

 

“Fuck you.” They were silent for a few minutes before Grimmjow sighed. He propped his head up with the palm of his hand. “Hey, are we good now?”

 

Blue eyes watched as a struggle went on behind green ones. He could see a mental wall slam down somewhere, and Ulquiorra's face went blank. “Yeah, we're good, for right now,” he replied in his monotone voice.

 

Grimmjow nodded. He saw how this was going to go down. He didn't say anything though. He quickly placed a kiss on the pale shoulder and sat up. “C'mon, man,” he said, walking over to the door.

 

“Where the hell are you going?”

 

“To the bathroom? I gotta piss then we're going to get food. I'm starving,” he replied and then opened the door. He walked out into the hallway, bare ass naked. He didn't even see the two women standing in the open doorway as he walked down the passage to the other door.

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra sighed and sat up on the bed before the door came swinging open. He was speechless to see an angry redhead and Nel standing there. The expression on Orihime's face could speak volumes about wounded heartbreak and betrayal. He didn't say anything.

 

What was there to say?

 

He expected her to run out of the apartment, but instead, she went in the opposite direction, walking towards the bathroom. Ulquiorra could hear the bathroom door open. Grimmjow sounded surprised to see Orihime. Then the screaming started.

 

“You are a whore!”

 

“What are you talking about, Orihime?”

 

“We heard you. Nel saw you two!”

 

“Princess, let's talk about this.”

 

“Don't fucking Princess me, Grimmjow! Don't touch me!”

 

He waited to hear a slap. He didn't hear one. He stared at the doorway waiting for her to come storming past. She didn't come past. Ulquiorra heard sobbing and Grimmjow whispering. Orihime started sobbing louder.

 

“Nel, please, take her to the other room.”

 

The dark-haired man watched as the woman with the teal hair moved away from her position leaning against a break in the bank of windows and out of sight. Moments later, she was passing by the door. Orihime was still crying, clinging to Nel. Grimmjow followed them as far as the bedroom.

 

Ulquiorra watched as Grimmjow ran his hands through his hair repeatedly as he paced the floor. When the tall man didn't say anything, he stood up and found his clothing. He felt a pang of guilt when he saw the other man's face.

 

Grimmjow looked like he was losing everything.

 

Once he was dressed entirely, Ulquiorra quietly said, “I'm gonna head home. I'll see you around.”

 

“No, you're not. You're going to go sit down on my couch and all we're all going to have a talk,” Grimmjow grumbled.

 

The dark-haired man was about to open his mouth to argue but he saw the dangerous glint in the man's blue eyes. Without another word, he did as Grimmjow said and walked out of the bedroom, down the hall to the living room. His eyes were focused on the floor so he didn't have to bear that embarrassment. He shuffled over to where they had thrown off their stuff and Ulquiorra bent down to retrieve his hoodie.

 

When he turned around, he saw two pairs of female eyes on him. There was no way he was going to sit on the couch. That would be dangerous. Orihime already looked like she wanted to skin him alive while feeding him his balls. Instead, he sat on the chair next to the couch.

 

Grimmjow came into the room a few minutes wearing jeans and t-shirt. He looked at the three and then grabbed a stool from the kitchen island. He sat down and stared at each of them. Ulquiorra didn't catch the man's eye but he felt the gaze on him.

 

“I'm not going to apologize for being myself,” Grimmjow finally said. “I'm not going to say sorry for shattering an image you had of me. I'm not going to make excuses as to why I do what I do.”

 

“No one is saying you need to, Grimmjow,” Nel said.

 

“Tch,” the blue-haired man scoffed. “I've had each of you. The only other person in this room who has experienced everyone in this room is Ulquiorra. So Orihime, if you're gonna call me a whore, you gotta call him one too. Then you could say Nel is one because she's had both of us at the same time. Also, yourself because he took your virginity and I was there after him.”

 

Ulquiorra saw the redhead turned her head away from everyone. She was crying. He could have strangled Grimmjow. She hadn't known he slept with Nel and he was trying to keep it that way. “Way to let the cat out of the bag,” Ulquiorra muttered.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

He saw Grimmjow glare at him then turn to the women. “I'm not giving you up Nel. Be mad, rage, get pissed and throw shit. I'm not letting three years with you go. I'm also not going to let you go, Orihime. As much as he—” Grimmjow paused to point at Ulquiorra. “—Would love that, not gonna do it. You can get mad and not talk to me. You can ignore me all you want. I'm still gonna be on your mind, just like he is.”

 

Ulquiorra's eyes went to Grimmjow and then Orihime who was shaking where she sat on the couch. What the hell did Grimmjow mean by that? He wouldn't get an answer out of Grimmjow and he wasn't going to ask the young woman what he had meant.

 

The blue-haired man then turned to Ulquiorra, “You. Heh,” he chuckled.

 

“What?” Ulquiorra asked, his voice hard. He didn't know what the hell Grimmjow was going to say to him but it was probably going to either embarrass him or make the redhead cry more.

 

The other man just shook his head. “You're an absolute asshole. Yes, you do bother me that much. You've bothered me since I became friends with you.”

 

He felt his face get hot and started to find the floor really interesting at that moment. Ulquiorra could feel their eyes on him and when he looked up he was right. Each face was staring at him, so he decided to look everywhere but at them. The tactic had worked well in the past.

 

“So, you all can fight, bitch, and bicker among yourself. I know what I want. I'm not giving any of you up. We can be a big, happy family and fuck all day,” Grimmjow said with his arms outstretched as if exaggerating a shrug. “I'm not picking favorites. I'm not gonna play games.”

 

“Being a big, happy, fucking family would require a bigger place to live,” Nel deadpanned.

 

“Nah, my queen, perhaps a bigger bed.”

 

Nel laughed. Ulquiorra failed to see the humor in Grimmjow's speech. “Wait, if I'm the queen and she's the princess, what does that make you?”

 

“Easy, I'm the king.”

 

“What does that make him, then? The prince?”

 

Grimmjow looked over at Ulquiorra who stared back, distinctly unamused at the conversation. Ulquiorra saw a grin spread across Grimmjow's face after she said that. He knew what it made him.

 

He was the fool.

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow was standing on the roof of the building he lived in. It was late. It was cold. Nel had taken Orihime into the bedroom after they ordered and ate pizza. He supposed they were having a talk. Hell, they could be fucking each other, he didn't know.  
  
That thought sent an uncomfortable jolt to his groin and he had to adjust himself. Ulquiorra had “taken a walk” or so he said. He could have ran back home. Grimmjow did not know why but he should have told the redhead and the man with green eyes to get lost.

 

Dealing with Nel had been enough but she had pushed him away when he needed someone, anyone to tell him life would go on. When he added in Orihime, he stretched himself a little thin. Between working on his client's projects, the band gig, and two girlfriends... Life had been chaos. Now he was adding another person to this equation.

 

Grimmjow sighed as he remembered that afternoon. It'd been his first time with a man. The lips on his dick, the body he touched, fucking Ulquiorra with his tongue, tasting the man's cock. He'd been surprised at how good Ulquiorra had been with his mouth.

 

He groaned, realizing he was turned on again. He didn't think he'd be horny for the rest of the day because his balls had been drained. Grimmjow had accused the man of doing this before, and Ulquiorra denied it. He had said it was the first and possibly last time he'd touch a man.

 

If Grimmjow had his way, it wouldn't be.

 

He sighed, sitting down on the flat and cold metal surface. He thought about each of the individuals that he considered the most important in his life. Nel would always be there. He could see her raising his kids. He loved her. She kept him grounded and levelheaded. Grimmjow didn't have a lot of skeletons in his closet but she knew everything there was to know about him.

 

It wasn't fair to Nel that he'd kept the redhead a secret. Nelliel didn't deserve half the things he had done to her. He thought about why he'd been so angry the past couple weeks.

 

Orihime. His princess. His innocent flower. She'd been pissed when he opened that bathroom door. He was half expecting her to slap him. He figured it was a shock to find the guy you've been fucking for the past couple of months in bed with your former boyfriend.

 

Was Ulquiorra really an ex or a former lover? There had been nothing but his supposed death to sever that connection. He could remember the first time she came on him. She hadn't called his name. There were times during their relationship, he'd catch her looking at that photograph of the pale man. Sometimes when they were going to fool around, she'd lay the frame face down on the table. He knew she still thought about him. She had even admitted to even fantasizing about Grimmjow being Ulquiorra.

 

He'd given her a new fantasy by fucking her so hard and so fast and so deep that by the end of it, she was a puddle of jelly on that wet futon mattress. She prayed to Grimmjow that night. His name fell from her lips multiple times. From that night on, Orihime forgot the name of her former lover when he was around.

 

Ideas had filled his head on how to completely claim and dominate the young woman. In the end, he couldn't bring himself to try any of them. He was only her second lover and she was too sweet to foul with his visions. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't. Grimmjow had to learn how to push past his perverted imagination.

 

Nel, he would and could dominate. She allowed it. She asked for it at times. They had laid the groundwork for their relationship years ago at first with the casual hookups that lead to hanging out and having serious conversations about nothing over cups of coffee to dating and eventually a full-blown relationship. He would never, ever tell her but his stomach dropped when he thought of Nel being with anyone else. Those little moments and conversations mattered so much to him.

 

Nnoitra had screwed Nel up, breaking her in the process. Grimmjow had helped fix her.

 

Then there was the man. Ulquiorra was in no way a submissive person. He was demanding and dominant in his own right. If Grimmjow was going to approach him it had to be with the understanding that this would be a mutual agreement. He knew that Ulquiorra would never yield to him and there was no way Grimmjow would surrender to him.

 

How was he going to make this all work?

 

* * *

 

Nel motioned for Orihime to follow her. “C'mon, you can help me,” the teal haired woman said as she walked into the bedroom. “Ugh, this room reeks. It smells like...”

 

“Sex?” Orihime raised an eyebrow as Nel walked into the huge closet and came back out with a different set of sheets for the bed. Now she understood what the other woman needed help with. Nel was going to make the bed with new sheets.

 

Because Grimmjow and Ulquiorra had sex or something on the bed. She didn't want to think about that. It still made her angry. She was jealous. She was jealous because Nel got to sleep with Grimmjow and... well, the whole Ulquiorra thing that just recently came to light, not that she cared who Ulquiorra had sex with. It was still the principal. She was frustrated because they had been enjoying themselves while she worked, studied then sat alone at home and waited for someone to pay attention to her.

 

The two women stripped the bed, throwing the dirty sheets, blankets and pillow cases on the floor of the room. Nel carefully laid out all the pieces that were needed to make the bed; one sheet and six pillowcases. Nel said there were more blankets in the closet but she would get those later.

 

“What made you guys decide on a platform bed rather than futons?” Orihime asked as they pulled pillowcases onto the individual pillows.

 

Nel shrugged. “Grimmjow built the thing. I didn't choose it. I think it's bigger than a king size bed. We had to order the mattress to be made to the specifications. It's thicker than a normal mattress that you can get for platform beds.”

 

“How many people can fit onto it? I mean it's wider than it is longer. Do you have to order special sheets for it?”

 

This question made Nel laugh and shake her head. Orihime didn't know what was so funny, she was curious. “I told him it was stupid to have a bed this big. I don't know, Grimmjow takes up half of it. He sprawls out, and I take up the other half. And yes, my mom sews, she makes them for me.”

 

“Oh,” Orihime commented. The one night Grimmjow had spent with her, he'd wrapped himself around her back and held her. She never had a man stretch out in a bed next to her. Ulquiorra had slept on his stomach with one arm thrown over her. “Why so many pillows?”

 

Again the woman laughed, “Uh, I sleep with four of them. Two under my head, one for my leg and another one to act as a bumper if Grimmjow rolls too close at night. Grimm takes the other two.”

 

The redhead finished putting the last pillowcase on the last pillow. “It just seems excessive,” she said. “I have one futon mattress and one pillow. Ulquiorra always complained that he had to—” Orihime's cheeks flamed. She didn't mean to mention the man. She shook her head and smiled. “Do you pick out your own fabric for the sheets?”

 

“Yup or my mom does, she has a lot of fabric. She likes sewing silk pillowcases for me because of my long hair. Grimm ends up taking them. He says they feel soft,” Nel replied as she shook out the fitted sheet. It seemed like Nel chose to ignore the statement about the dark-haired man. She handed Orihime one side and then took the other. “You just slip it under the corner, like this.”

 

In a couple of seconds, the bottom sheet was on the bed, and Nel threw the pillows on each side of the bed. She went back to the closet and brought out two blankets. This made Orihime give her a questioning glance. “Two blankets? Why?”

 

“Grimm is a blanket hog. When we use just one, he steals it, and then I wake him up in the middle of the night. We fight.”

 

She was going to say she didn't experience that with him but thankfully she didn't. It would have been embarrassing. Once the blankets were on their respective sides. Nel took the dirty sheets and shoved them into a laundry basket.

 

“I'm going to have to do laundry this week,” the woman said with a frown. “I hate laundry.”

 

“It's not a fun chore,” she said in agreement.

 

The women fell silent before Nel sat down on the bed. Orihime watched as the woman patted the space next to her. “Let's talk.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Orihime knew this was coming. She just didn't want to have this conversation with everything else that was going on. She was afraid of what she might say or what Nel might assume.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chris Holmes - I Don't Care What My Friends Say  
> DJ Sammy ft Yanou - Heaven  
> Chris Lane - Fix  
> Darren Hayes - Strange Relationship  
> Dandy Warhols - We Used to Be Friends


	14. 21 Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's talk about sex baby! Let's talk about what you three did because Orihime is allllll kinds of confused and leads her to ask some uncomfortable questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
>  
> 
> BLATANT SEXUAL TALK, in an informative sense. *nods*

Nel took a deep breath and then brought her knees to her chest. This was going to be slightly tricky. “Orihime,” she started to say, but the redhead interrupted her.

 

“I'm so sorry! I knew it was wrong but—I was just lonely. I hate being lonely! With Ulquiorra getting shot, him disappearing then the news, the baby! I've been alone since my brother died and—” The young woman started crying which made Nel sigh.

 

She patted the other woman on her back. Nel was glad that Grimmjow was off doing something on his because she didn't want to be blamed for upsetting her. “Shhh, listen, please. I don't blame you. I don't blame anyone except myself in this situation. I pushed Grimmjow away when he needed me. He was hurting and I was kind of heartless. I bragged when I should have been humble. I told him I had no pity that Ulquiorra was dead because he made a choice to associate with thugs.

 

I saw how affected you were by the loss of Ulquiorra. I tried to do as much as I could to help. I was—I want to say I was desensitized because of what happened in my past. I could understand what you were going through but at the same time... I was a bitch.”

 

Nel sighed. She didn't know if she could keep explaining why she was at fault. It sounded like the right response in her head but now that she was speaking... The words sounded stupid. “I kept thinking that you should just get over it. Do you remember the last day you stayed with us? How we kept watching those funny movies? How we kept telling you jokes? He worried about you. He was afraid for you.”

 

The woman nodded, “I remember. You braided my hair that day.”

 

A sad smile came across Nel's face. “You woke up the next morning and asked us to take you home. Maybe if I had gone with him to take you home, this would have never happened. But I stayed here because I just wanted a moment alone to myself where the atmosphere wasn't depressing. God, that makes me sound awful.”

 

“No, it doesn't. I was miserable. I was trying to make everyone around me miserable,” Orihime replied, wiping the tears from her face.

 

“Misery loves company,” Nel commented. She sighed again. “Grimm called me after he dropped you off. He said he was going into the city to get away from everything. He needed some space. I know he bought you that Jizo statue. I know that night... I know what happened that night.”

 

Nel watched as Orihime's face became red and tears welled in her eyes. “I began to notice little things in him were different. He was tired often. He wanted to have sex less with me. He got really critical of me. All those signs pointed to the fact that he had found someone else and I was slowly getting pushed to the side. I started noticing his excuses, I'd go to the gym he said he was at. I'd go to his workshop when he said he would be working late.

 

He never knew this. I saw his car once at your apartment. I thought maybe he was at Ulquiorra's for some sentimental reason. I didn't think anything of it. You were smiling again and it was all okay! You were happy. I didn't draw the lines until Ulquiorra said something—I mean I accused him of sleeping with you that night that Ulquiorra returned. I smelled him on you. I knew he had someone else then. I just didn't know who.”

 

Orihime gasped and turned redder; the blush crept down her neck.

 

“I know they don't talk about this type of stuff in classes in school but when you have an orgasm, you leave a scent behind. It's like how male cats leave their scent on things. Females do the same thing,” Nel waved a hand as if to dismiss the idea. “Anyway, I'm getting off track. I saw the little things about a month after his trip. He started locking his phone. There were the glances, the smiles, the way the cameras caught you two staring at each other. You guys may have thought I didn't notice, but disappearing into the hallway one right after another, was a bit suspicious.

 

When you would come over he'd leave and not come back until you were gone. Your face had these weird expressions on them at times and I couldn't place it until that day. I was angry the day that he confirmed everything. Not that he was sleeping with you. I was mad because he didn't trust me enough to tell me that he was doing it. Grimm, he found a bit of happiness with you. You comforted him in ways I couldn't because I wasn't close to Ulquiorra.”

 

Nel took a deep breath and exhaled. She felt this weight lift off her shoulders that she hadn't known had been there. “So, that's it. That's all I have to say. I'm sorry. If I never encouraged your friendship or fed you details about Ulquiorra, you wouldn't be in this situation. I am regretful about that. You'd be with that Ishida guy or even Mr. Carrot Top. You'd already be in university.”

 

“Then my life would be boring,” Orihime said quietly. “I like being around you guys. I don't regret it. You guys are my friends. All of you are my family.”

 

“That's good,” Nel said with a smile. She unfurled her legs and stretched out. “It's good that we cleared the air between us. C'mon, let's go find the boys.”

 

“Actually Nel, there's something else I want to talk about. I have some questions I want to ask you.”

 

Those words scared Nel.

 

* * *

 

Orihime knew her face probably looked like a tomato at this point, but she was curious. She was dying to know. Well, there were several things that she was dying to know. If she could get the first question out, she could ask the others.

 

“You okay?” Nel asked. Her face said she was skeptical about having this conversation.

 

“Um, yeah. I'm fine. I just—Grimmjow said you had him and Ulquiorra at the same time. I was wondering what did he mean?” Orihime had to swallow her nervousness before she could continue.

 

“Hoo boy,” Nel said after a long moment. She appeared very uncomfortable with this subject. “I, uh, you might want to ask Grimmjow about this?”

 

That sounded more like a question than a statement. Orihime frowned, “I don't know if I want to ask him. I mean, when I think about it, I don't get how that would work.”

 

“Oh, Doll. I forget how naive and innocent you seem at times,” Nel giggled and blushed slightly. “Are you sure you don't want to ask Grimmjow. I'm sure he'd be willing to show you what he meant.”

 

“How? Why won't you tell me?” Orihime was getting frustrated. She just wanted to know what it meant that Nel had had both men at once. In her mind, there was only one place a man could go, and one was plenty, two seemed like it would hurt.

 

“Orihime, have you ever watched porn?”

 

“I've seen some pictures I guess, but I've never watched any. Well, I take that back... Rangiku was showing Renji something about giving blowjobs, and I saw what she was talking about,” Orihime's eyes slowly lost focus, but she shook her head as if to get her self back on track.

 

“Oh god,” Nel groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Why?”

 

“What? What's wrong?”

 

“Grimmjow and I had a threesome with Ulquiorra.”

 

“What's that?”

 

“Where's Grimmjow?” Nel asked as she got off the bed. Orihime watched her pace, still not understanding what was so serious.

 

She shrugged, “Tell me what's going on.”

 

“I can't.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Let's go find Grimmjow. He loves explaining things, especially things like this.”

 

“I just don't get how you had two men at once. Why can't you just tell me?” Orihime inquired. Why was it so hard for Nel to explain what happened? “Just explain the mechanics of it!”

 

“You know what a blowjob is right?” Orihime nodded and then watched Nel grab her phone. The woman tapped out a text message. This caused the redhead to scowl. Nel shook her head. “I had sex with both Grimmjow and Ulquiorra.”

 

“I kind of got that. How? I don't get how you had them at the same time.”

 

Nel's phone made a whistle, and she looked down at it. The woman let out a loud sigh. “That fucker,” she mumbled. “Okay. Ulquiorra was laying on the bed; I was on top of him.”

 

“Did you give Grimmjow a blowjob?”

 

“Not quite.”

 

“Can more than one penis fit into a woman?”

 

Nel's face turned pinker. “Sometimes,” she squeaked.

 

Orihime's brows furrowed. She sat thinking for a minute before she said what she was actually thinking. She didn't mean to say these thoughts out loud. It sort of just came out. “Grimmjow is big. Ulquiorra, well, It would probably be weird if he was the size of Grimmjow, being as tall and skinny as he is. He's nice though. Both of them feel nice.”

 

The redhead's hands flew to her mouth as she realized what she said and who she was speaking to. A familiar spark of desire pooled in her legs and she squirmed. Nel's face just got redder. The teal haired woman's phone whistled again and she looked down at it. “Grimm was on top of us,” she said, softly. "Ulquiorra isn't that tall though."

 

She was tired of playing this question game. She was tired of Nel trying to hint as to what went on. The woman kept looking at her phone so Orihime grabbed it. This made Nel scramble and reach for her phone. Once Orihime saw the text messages that were sent to Grimmjow, her eyes went wide. She read the text out loud, “Don't tell her I fucked you in the a—”

 

Nel snatched the phone out of her hands and then hung her head so that the long greenish blue hair hung in her face. The other woman sat back down on the bed. Thoughts were going through Orihime's mind of how that was even possible, but she just couldn't comprehend. She was so flustered, and when she realized what those words meant, Orihime gasped.

 

“How? Why?”

 

“I don't know the how. I'm not even sure I know why.” Nel said, “It feels good. It's nothing like regular sex. It's mind-blowing.”

 

“Does it hurt? Will it hurt?”

 

This question made Nel sigh. “No, well, I'm not a good judge of that. The first time it happened wasn't the best time. Nnoitra wasn't gentle.”

 

Orihime frowned. The more she heard of Nel's deceased boyfriend, the happier she was that he was dead and out of her life. “So it can hurt,” she stated.

 

“Yes, it can if you're not prepared and the guy doesn't take his time. Also, if he's rough, it'll hurt,” Nel finally looked up at Orihime. Her face was a bright crimson. “Grimm takes his time. He knows what I like and doesn't like. He knows to take it slow. You have to be mentally prepared for it. It's not something you approach with a casual attitude.”

 

Mentally prepare for sex? Orihime had never heard of such a thing. She thought back to when she gave her virginity to Ulquiorra. He'd been so gentle and the amount of time he'd spent between her legs with his mouth could probably attest to the fact that it hadn't been excruciating. He'd gone slow.

 

She realized her breathing was speeding up and her body felt hot. Orihime stood up and started walking back and forth across the floor of the room. “Does it feel weird having two men in you?”

 

Nel giggled. “Kind of? It was uncomfortable at first. I felt too full then they started moving and I completely...”

 

Orihime could see Nel's eyes become unfocused with a far away and lost look in them. The woman remembered what had happened that night. She felt that ping of lust again, this time stronger. She sat down on the bed again. “Nel, what did you see when you opened the door earlier? What happened with Grimmjow and Ulquiorra?”

 

“Huh? Oh! Um,” the woman sitting next to Orihime blushed. “They were giving each other head, blowjobs.”

 

“At the same time?”

 

“Yeah, Ulquiorra is no bigger than you, he was laying on top of Grimm,” Nel replied.

 

“You're okay with them doing this?”

 

“Doll, Grimm is a grown man. If I stopped him, he'd cheat. He needs that freedom. If I were against him having other lovers, you would have been out of our lives the moment he looked at you like he wanted to devour you,” she said.

 

“Huh? When was that?”

 

“After you lost your virginity.”

 

Oh. Her face flushed again, and she decided to change the subject, but Nel beat her to it.

 

“You said Ulquiorra was rough during sex,” the woman started saying. “Do you remember that?”

 

Orihime nodded. Of course, she remembered. She saw her self the morning after. She looked as if she had been ravaged. “He was gentle until he saw I was okay with it,” she chimed in. “The only other time that he was gentle was before he left for America. He said we made love.”

 

“There is a difference you know. There's sex which is meh, you know. It's the guy you bring home from the club. It's probably what that Ishida guy will do to his wife. Very vanilla, missionary sex.”

 

The redhead looked at Nel, “Vanilla?”

 

“Not kinky... Unconventional sexual practices, desires or um, fantasies,” Nel explained. “But just having sex is boring. There's no passion in it. You may get off; you may not.”

 

“That sounds like the night Ulquiorra called,” Orihime said. “Grimmjow was fucking me, I mean—”

 

“It's okay, Orihime.”

 

“I didn't get any satisfaction that night.”

 

“You poor girl. You really don't know what bad sex is like, do you?” Nel laughed when Orihime shook her head and looked shyly away. “There's fucking. You know what it's like to be fucked. You just told me Grimm was fucking you. It's hot, hard. You're wet. You're crying out and trying to hold on. There's a hint of violence in fucking, only that violence is against each other, and it's consensual.”

 

“Do you like kinky stuff, Nel?”

 

Nel nodded her head. “Yeah, I think it comes from the fact that Nnoitra introduced me to a lot of sexual things. I didn't like them all. Grimmjow explored the ones I liked the most.”

 

“So is making love that romantic, gentle, slow sex?” Orihime asked.

 

“It's more than that. It's an emotional experience. Sex is just a physical thrill. Making love is another one of those things that you mentally prepare yourself for. You're trying to convey to someone how much you care about them without saying a word. Grimm and I do this all the time. You can even do it when fucking, but it's on a more primal level.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Orihime was silent again as she thought about all those times she had sex with Grimmjow and Ulquiorra. She couldn't help think back to her and the dark haired man's first night together. He practically worshiped her body. The night before he left, Ulquiorra explored every part of her and the orgasms that hit her that night made her legs weak. She remembered the night she gave her first blowjob. She tried to show him how much she had missed him and wanted him. She completely gave herself over to him. With Grimmjow, it'd been fucking. It'd been about touching and comforting. She hadn't made love yet with the blue-haired man.

 

“Do you think Grimmjow's serious about us all being together?”

 

“Yes, if he wants something, he'll get it. He sounded pretty serious to me,” Nel admitted. “I just see a lot of problems with it. We all need our space. Ulquiorra's jealousy. Your cooking.”

 

“Hey! My cooking isn't bad!” Orihime exclaimed, sounding indignant. They both laughed, then it got quiet. “You don't get jealous?”

 

“I do. I did. Grimm lives with me though, so I'm not the one who gets the short end of the stick here.”

 

Orihime realized she had one more question for Nel and it was a personal and possibly mortifying one. “Have you ever done what Grimm and Ulquiorra did?”

 

“What? Lay on top of Grimm and blow him while he is going down on me? Yeah,” Nel grinned. “That's child's play for us.”

 

“No, I mean—“ She sighed. So many emotions, memories and so much information to take in. She felt frustrated. The anger was suddenly coming back, and she clenched her fist.

 

“This is a lot to digest, I know,” Nel said giving the woman a one arm hug.

 

“It's not that.”

 

“Have you ever been with another woman?”

 

Nel's hazel eyes went wide, and it somewhat answered Orihime's question.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 50 Cent – 21 Questions  
> Andy Black - 21 Guns  
> Nine Inch Nails – Closer  
> Trina – B R Right  
> Type O Negative – My Girlfriend's Girlfriend  
> Zero7 - Destiny


	15. Something Akin to Malice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ulquiorra finally apologizes to Orihime and offers to be just friends. Orihime meets some new “friends” and we see a painful secret she is hiding from the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> This was an emotional chapter for me to write. TT^TT 
> 
> I've had people complain/comment/state that Orihime's grief about the miscarriage wasn't believable. Hi, I'm a mom. One of my kids is deceased and I've dealt with numerous miscarriages in my past. Being the person I am, I just pushed everything to the side (Hey, who does that sound like? Let's repress those emotions!). Anyway, it really screwed me up as a person. After I read these comments, I realized that I had to explain Orihime's side of things; it wasn't enough for other people to do it for her. That meant I had to deal with my own shit. I had planned out a novel telling a story of a woman that had to deal with child loss. I could never write it. The words never came to me.

Ulquiorra was in the process of walking to his house. He had a lot to think about. What Grimmjow had said had been crazy. There was no way all four of them could live together and be happy. There was bound to be conflicts. Someone would get hurt. Women were emotional. Men could be brutal at times.

 

All he wanted was Orihime back. He wanted her to himself, but he knew the fact that Grimmjow had carnal knowledge of her would bother him. What if he put it all behind him and they started over? What if he just talked to her and became her friend? What if he had no expectations?

 

He stopped and looked up at the night sky. What if he was nothing? What if he just disappeared again? What if he actually died? Would Orihime be happier without him around? Would she be happier on Grimmjow's arm?

 

It was all hypothetical questions and made up scenarios. It was unneeded drama. Another question slammed into his brain as he stood there motionless. Would he be happy if he left again? Could he tolerate not being around Orihime? Would he be able to move on if he left?

 

No.

 

The dark haired man quickly turned around and moved his feet. He knew what he had to do and it would rip out his heart to do it. Soon he was running towards the building that Grimmjow and Nel lived in. His feet echoed as he rapidly ascended the stairs, having to catch his breath before knocking on the door.

 

It was Nel who opened the door. She looked slightly uncomfortable but surprised as Ulquiorra strode past her. He looked around and then went into the hallway with Nel protesting about him being rude. He opened the bedroom door to find Orihime standing by the big bed, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

 

“Ulquiorra!” Nel yelled.

 

He slipped into the room and then shut the door. The redhead looked frightened, but at the same time, her expression was one of wistful longing. He walked over to her slowly and then slowly got to his knees. He bowed to her, his head almost touching her bare toes. He was silent for a long time before he found the courage to say something to her.

 

Then he started speaking. The words came from his lips were calm and composed. “Woman, I beg for your forgiveness. I am deeply remorseful I ever touched you with the intent of harm. I allowed my anger to consume me. I give you my word; it will never happen again. I want to be your friend if I cannot be your lover. If you're—” he paused so that he could swallow the lump in his throat. He couldn't believe he was about to sacrifice his happiness for a woman. “If you're happy with Grimmjow then I cannot stand in the way of that.”

 

* * *

 

Nel had run up to the roof where she found Grimmjow. She had told him he was needed downstairs, Ulquiorra had returned and was now in the bedroom with Orihime. He stalked down the stairs intent on killing the other man until he opened the bedroom door and saw him bowing to the woman and listened to his words. He stood there with Nel behind him who gasped when the dark-haired man sat up then stood. Grimmjow remained in the doorway as the other man approached him. It was clear that Ulquiorra wanted to leave now that he was done apologizing.

 

Grimmjow didn't move. Instead, he stepped forward, and Nel followed behind him, she closed the door. The tall man folded his arms over his chest. “I think we need to have another talk,” he said.

 

* * *

 

Orihime just finished taking the last entrance exam and was leaving the university campus. She had to be at the address that Nel had given her soon. Grimmjow was supposed to be picking her up so that they could drive to it. The four of them were having dinner at a restaurant to go over the list of housing prospects that Nel had found.

 

She sighed, as she walked through the crowd of students. She felt older than the kids walking around her. In the past eighteen months, she'd experienced a lot. She wasn't unhappy, but it had made her wonder what kind of life she would have if she'd never met Nel, Grimmjow or Ulquiorra.

 

She had told Nel about a month ago; she thought her life would be boring. It definitely hadn't been boring in the past month. There'd been a lot of activity between the three households. Lists were made, tasks delegated, more discussions were had than she could count. There were requests and demands made. At least the atmosphere inside Candy Ink was friendly again.

 

Orihime looked around for Grimmjow's shock of bright blue hair in the crowd. She frowned when she didn't see it. With a sigh, she found a bench to sit on and thought about that night that prompted all this activity.

 

She had been stunned when Ulquiorra bowed before her and asked for her forgiveness. She didn't know what to say to him. She looked helplessly at Nel who had shrugged from her position in the doorway. Grimmjow hadn't appeared happy.

 

He made them all sit on the bed; each person had a side of the bed. She sat across from Nel; either man sat beside her. Grimmjow sat at the head of the bed and Ulquiorra at the foot.

 

“I guess since you're back and you apologized to Orihime, you've made a decision?” Grimmjow asked Ulquiorra. She had watched his dark head of hair nod and bit her lip because of the silence that followed. “Well, you gonna share it with the rest of the class?”

 

“There needs to be rules if we are to do this. We all need to follow those rules. No exceptions,” Ulquiorra stated. “It won't work if we don't.”

 

Everyone was shocked at this. Orihime the most of all because she had expected him to be the most resistant to the idea. Then he shocked them further with his words. “It also seems pointless to stay in three different places, paying three separate sets of bills. We could pool our resources and find bigger accommodations, as Nel suggested earlier. We would save money that way.”

 

“Are you serious?” Nel said raising her eyebrow at the man.

 

“Why wouldn't I be? It makes sense. We all enjoy each others company. We've obviously enjoyed each other's bodies,” Ulquiorra stated. Orihime was dying to look at the man, but she stared at her hands that were on her lap. “Think of it this way, would you much rather drive across town to my apartment to have my face buried in you or would you rather walk into another room?”

 

Orihime gasped softly as his words brought incredibly vivid images to her brain. Were his words exclusively spoken to Nel or was he addressing everyone? That fire that was burning in her earlier turned into an inferno. She wanted something, anything to relieve this hot and rhythmic pulsing in between her legs.

 

“I'll take convenience over anything. The easier I can get to any of you, I'm game,” Grimmjow said with a grin.

 

Nel reached over to her bedside table and opened one of the drawers. She pulled out a notepad and a pen only to quickly begin writing. “Okay, so what are we looking for? House? Apartment?”

 

They decided on a house. It would give them privacy and more space which was a plus; the downside was that it would be expensive. They would each have their own room to retreat to with a communal sleeping area. The only person to protest this idea was Grimmjow because he didn't want to give up his bed.

 

“What the hell do you think we would sleep on? Individual futons? What's the point? If we're all fucking each other, we might as well use one bed,” Nel said, shaking her head. “Sometimes I think you're dumb.”

 

“Am I gonna have to build a new one?”

 

It was Ulquiorra that shook his head. “No, we will fit on this one just fine. The first one to complain sleeps on a futon.”

 

“You're awfully quiet, Orihime. You don't have anything to add to this discussion?”

 

* * *

 

She was snapped out of her thoughts by someone talking to her.

 

“Hey! Hello? Are you deaf?”

 

She looked up to see two men standing in front of her. One man had a bright red mohawk with the sides of his head shaved completely bald, green eyes, and his ears were pierced several times. He was built very similar to Grimmjow. The other man was tall but scrawny, had black, wavy shoulder length hair and brown eyes that bore into her. Both men had scars on their faces.

 

They were smiling at her, and she shrank back slightly. “Sorry, I was just thinking. Can I help you?”

 

“We were wondering what a pretty girl was doing here. You new?” The one with the mohawk said with a grin. It made her uncomfortable.

 

“Oh no, I just took the entrance exams. I'm hoping to attend,” she replied with a slight stutter. Orihime was caught off guard by the men. She stood planning on walking closer to the street, just in case Grimmjow showed up. “If you'll excuse me, I—”

 

The tall one pushed her back down. “Ah, new blood. You don't have to go anywhere, do you?” he asked.

 

Orihime looked around after she found herself seated again on the bench. She noticed that most of the people she had taken the exam with had dispersed and only stragglers remained, ambling. No one paid any attention to her or the men. “Actually, I do have an appointment I have to get to. I'm sorry, I really have to go.”

 

“We can get you where ever you need to be, isn't that right, Bazz?”

 

The one addressed as Bazz grinned even wider. “Sure, why don't you tell us where you need to be? Oh, how rude of us. We forgot to introduce ourselves, Tsukishima. The name is Bazz B. This is Tsukishima.”

 

Orihime gave them a strained smile. Her throat felt tight as she tried to swallow. “I should really get going. It was nice meeting you.”

 

This time she didn't pause as she got up. Once, she was on her feet she started walking away from the two men. She didn't get very far before she felt a steady hand grab her bicep. In an instant, she was whirled around to find herself pressed up against the man with the bright red hair. His face didn't look very amused.

 

“Bitch, you're impolite. We introduced ourselves; now it's your turn,” he sneered.

 

The young woman gave a small cry as his hand tightened on her arm. She started to panic. “Please, let me go! That hurts!”

 

“Orihime!” That was Grimmjow's voice. She whipped her head and saw his bright blue hair standing by a car. She saw him raise his hand and wave.

 

“Please let me go.”

 

“Your name is Orihime? Nice,” Bazz replied. She was released from his hold, and she backed away from him, rubbing her arm.

 

The taller man walked up beside the other. He smirked, “Hope you get in, Orihime.”

 

With that the woman turned and ran for Grimmjow, not stopping until she was in his arms. She looked at the blue haired man who wrapped his arms around her. He was glaring at the two men who had not moved. “I see you've already made some friends. Who are they, Princess?”

 

“I don't know. I was waiting for you, and they started bothering me,” she stammered. “They scared me.”

 

“Get in the car, Orihime.”

 

His voice took on a dangerous tone. She saw the murderous look cross his face. Grimmjow wanted their blood.

 

“Grimmjow, c'mon. We have to go. They're nothing. They didn't even hurt me. They just scared me,” she pleaded with the tall man.

 

“Get in the car, now!”

 

A squeak left her as she went to the other side of the car and opened the door. She quickly slid into the seat and put on her safety belt. Grimmjow got in the car a few moments later and started the vehicle.

 

* * *

 

Orihime looked around her apartment. Grimmjow had dropped her off after the incident at the university. He tried to get her to come along with him, Nel and Ulquiorra. She didn't feel like it. Two days later, it was raining outside, and she still didn't feel like being around people. She could hear the pitter-patter of raindrops as they hit the outer parts of the house and the roof. The skylight showed a gray sky, crying.

 

The dim interior did nothing for her mood. She was sitting at her low table. The cup of tea she had made was cold. She had nothing to do that day. She didn't have to work. No one had texted her.

 

It was moments like this she hated being alone.

 

Her arms ached. They were empty.

 

Her heart ached. Two pieces of it were gone.

 

As much as Orihime told herself that she was over Ulquiorra, she wasn't. Grimmjow had been a distraction for everything. When he left, she just hurt more. She cried a lot when she was alone. She put on a mask when people were around.

 

Grief was this iceberg for her. She only let people see so much of it but underneath the water where she was drowning was a vast amount of sadness; emptiness; pain. There was physical pain. There was emotional pain. There was mental anguish she had to deal with.

 

There were times Orihime had to fake being happy and bubbly. It took an effort to have that much energy. It was exhausting sometimes. She was tired. She was drained. She was exhausted from having to be this version of herself that didn't really exist any longer. She was tired of trying to be stronger than she actually felt.

 

People didn't know how her world stopped the day Ulquiorra disappeared. They didn't know how it shattered the day she was told he was dead. They didn't know how devastating it had been to lose the only thing she had to remember him by.

 

Orihime's eyes filled with tears. Her bottom lip quivered. She promised herself a long time ago that she wasn't going to cry when it rained. She didn't like it when it rained. Loneliness felt like it seeped into every fiber of her being.

 

After everything had happened, Orihime wanted to die. Every morning she woke, still alive. She didn't think being dead would hurt this much. Tears fell from her eyes.

 

She pressed her lips together as tight as possible, to keep more from spilling out. It didn't help. The tears came in full force. She hid her face in her hands; shoulders shaking from the sobs that overcame her.

 

She should have a baby to take care of; she should have been with Ulquiorra. She should have and could have and would have done so many things differently had she known this would happen.

 

She would have never walked into that tattoo shop that day. She would have never become friends with Nel. She would have never seen his picture. She would have never seen him. She would have...

 

She should have listened to Nel and Grimmjow. She should have ignored him. She should have realized her brain had conjured up some fairy tale version of him. She should have...

 

She could have had a different life if he had just stayed in America, instead of coming back. She could have had something with Ichigo. She could have...

 

There were the people that tried to console her. They tried to comfort her with words. How were words going to soothe her broken soul?

 

“ _Well he's gone, so it was for the best.”_

 

Or

 

“ _You weren't in the best financial situation to deal with that kind of stuff.”_

 

Or

 

“ _At least you can find someone decent, instead of trash.”_

 

Or

 

“ _You're young; you can try again when you're older.”_

 

She fell into this funk; a depressive rut. When Orihime thought about what she would never get to experience, she felt that she would go crazy. She would never get first steps, crushes, kisses, words, loves and days of school!

 

She would never know what that child would be like. Would they look like her? Would they look like him? Would they be some mixture of the two that she would fall hopelessly in love with the child and Ulquiorra all over again?

 

It was the what ifs, the could have beens, and the firsts she would never experience that killed her. The sobbing had subsided. Orihime wiped her eyes with her hands and took a deep breath. She looked over at the Jizo statue.

 

Again, her heart ached.

  
  
Grimmjow. She didn't love him as much as she loved the dark-haired man. She had known that. He tried to help her. He tried his hardest to make her forget. She may have said his name, but she always thought of Ulquiorra. The green-eyed man was always in her thoughts. She could say that she was over him until she was blue in the face.

 

You never completely got over your first love.

 

She stood up and shuffled over to the altar where her brother's picture sat along with the statue. The wooden figurine smiled absently at her with it's amused face. Orihime didn't like to admit it, but she had kept one baby blanket that she had bought, the rest of the baby items she had given to Rangiku.

 

Sometimes, she would wrap the statue in the blanket and hold it.

 

It helped.

 

When she found the blanket at the bottom of the cabinet, she picked it up. It was a small square; yellow with tiny gray elephants printed on it. Ulquiorra had told her she was silly for buying it so early.

  
  
Orihime had hope back then.

 

She carefully picked up the Jizo statue and swaddled the figure in the cloth. She then walked back over to the table with the bundle. She sat with her legs crossed in a lotus position because it was easier to move this way.

 

“ _You are my sunshine, my only sun_ —” her voice cracked with the grief that spread through her. The tears started again. Orihime could never get through the song. So, she just hummed it. She hummed, and she rocked, and she cried.

 

Hours later, when it was darker outside, and the world had calmed down, Orihime didn't feel as dejected. She didn't feel as empty. She didn't feel as despondent.

 

She felt like she could keep her mask in place.

 

Her heart still ached.

 

The rain still pitter-pattered.

 

She was still lonely.

 

Her tea was still cold.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons - Sucker For Pain  
> Avenged Sevenfold – This Means War  
> Slipknot -Vermillion Part 2  
> 10 Years – Wasteland  
> Evanescence – My Immortal  
> Imogen Heap - Lonely Little Petunia (Three Ways)  
> Epicure – Goodbye Girl  
> Lauren Aquilina - King  
> Jordan Hill – Remember Me This Way  
> Madonna – This Used to be my Playground  
> Jan Garbarek - Parce Mihi Domine  
> The Hound + The Fox – You Are My Sunshine


	16. The Rules.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rules have been laid down. While everyone is having their fun, Orihime continues to break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.

Two men strolled through the lobby of the high rise apartment building in Tokyo. They were rude to the staff and anyone they deemed to be below them. Unless you ranked higher than them, then you'd be crushed like an ant. Bazz punched the button for the elevator while Tsukishima leaned against the glossy stone walls with this hands in his pockets. They didn't say anything as they walked into the metal and glass box. It wasn't until the elevator started moving did they converse. Bazz was the first to speak, “Why are we going to see him?”

 

“Do you have something against our father?”

 

“Nope. Just wondering why we need to see him.”

 

The tall and scrawny man did not answer. The elevator reached the penthouse and they stepped out into a fancy hall. There was only one door and it led to the residence of Sosuke Aizen. The two men didn't bother knocking as they moved through the entrance.

 

A formidable black man was standing in the foyer of the penthouse and nodded at them. Bazz was the only one to return this greeting. Tsukishima looked at the man and asked, “Where is he?”

 

“Office.”

 

Without another word, they walked down a hall, passing by their stepmother. The blonde woman said nothing, she sneered before sipping her sake. Bazz snorted and said to the other man, “She's such a bitch.”

 

The continued down the hall, passing various rooms until the passage ended at a set of double doors. Tsukishima knocked once.

 

“Enter,” a voice called.

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow pinned Nel to the side of the car once they parked in the garage beneath the apartment building. He captured his mouth with hers and let his hips grind into her. He probably would have thrown her in the backseat of the car and had his way with her, if not for one thing.

 

Someone cleared their throat. “You're breaking the rules,” a monotone voice said.

 

A fist formed and the man with blue hair slammed his fist down on the top of the car. “You know you don't have to remind us of these rules every time we get together,” Grimmjow bitched and turned from Nel.

 

“He's only keeping you honest, Grimm,” Nel said fondly as she followed him into the building.

 

“Tch, like that'll ever happen. He's annoying.”

 

“I can hear you,” Ulquiorra stated.

 

Once the trio was in the apartment and shed their belongings, the men sat on the couch while Nel picked out a movie. The men kept glancing at each other every time Nel bent over or squatted down. The blue-haired man felt the tension rising between him and the other male every time they caught the other one staring. They had their time to eye each other. Grimmjow and Nel owned a lot of DVDs. The teal haired woman didn't like watching television, she claimed it rotted people's brains but she was more than happy to watch movies with her three favorite people.

 

Well, at least two of them, Orihime claimed she wasn't feeling good and had stayed home. Grimmjow got a sour look on his face when he thought back to two weeks ago when the young woman had run to him after those two goons had harassed her. He'd been livid. He wanted to punch them both in the face and then throw Orihime over his shoulder. He had a caveman mentality when it came to his women... and man. It was jealousy. Grimmjow had been working on the whole thing. He didn't bristle with contempt every time Ulquiorra touched her. Only when the dark-haired man would put his hand on her back or waist. Or when she hugged him. Or when she looked at him.

 

Okay, he had made no progress whatsoever.

 

He had to acknowledge that sometime in the future, Ulquiorra was going to have her again. Maybe when that time happened, he'd start to broaden her sexual horizons. The teal haired woman finally picked a movie and sat in between the men. He had to grit his teeth when Nel laid a hand on his thigh and then Ulquiorra's. Grimmjow was horny but wasn't allowed to do anything until they found a damn house. He'd give an arm to either bury himself in Nel or the man's mouth.

 

He would have been willing to give anything to be buried in the redhead. Those stupid damn rules. When they all had agreed to do this, Nel and Ulquiorra laid out rules. He had interjected when he felt that he needed to. Orihime had said nothing during the entire time that first meeting was in progress.

 

Grimmjow had noticed her state. The flushed cheeks. How her rosy lips parted and her breath became shallow. The feverish look in her eyes. The way she squirmed when someone said anything remotely sexual. She wanted it. He further proved this fact when after their talk, when he walked up behind her and brushed himself against her. He'd made the excuse that he was trying to get past her. He'd saw ten emotions flash across the woman's features before she apologized to him. Grimmjow wanted to say damn be to the new rules and just throw her down. The rules weren't fair to Orihime.

 

  1. _NO ONE ELSE. There was to be no one else participating in their lives. No sex with anyone else._

  2. _Respect each other's space and privacy._

  3. _Get consent before doing anything. Ask to join in before doing so. No meant no. Ask if you can watch._

  4. _No expectations._

  5. _No exclusive relationships with each other. They were all in this together or not at all._

  6. _Communicate._

  7. _No jealousy, fights, or drama._

  8. _No sexual activities between people until moved into new place._




 

The last rule. The last fucking rule. Grimmjow's mood in the past month had been disgruntled and irate. It was quickly was going downhill to where some days, he'd be in a rage. Jerking off several times a day was not cutting it. He was sure that Ulquiorra had suggested this rule so nothing would happen with Orihime.

 

His blue eyes shifted sideways to spy on the other two. Ulquiorra had his fingers laced with Nel's. He could see his thumb gently stroking the woman's skin. The familiar form of envy raised its head and he had to beat that monster back down.

 

“Have you guys noticed Orihime's been quiet since we started talking about all of this?” Nel asked as she got up to get something to drink.

 

“Get me a beer,” Grimmjow said.

 

“You forgot a word,” the woman said as she looked back at him.

 

The man pouted, “Now?”

 

“I think Orihime's trying to adjust to everything,” Ulquiorra answered. “She got accepted to her first choice university. I don't think she expected that.”

 

“Please. The word you wanted was please,” Nel scowled at Grimmjow. She then turned to the other man, “To be honest, I don't think she knows what she wants to do. She's taken four university entrance exams.”

 

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow. “Why the hell would someone take four entrance exams?”

 

“Because each school had their own exam,” the woman stated. She pulled open the refrigerator and rummaged around inside.

 

“I took the entrance exam for an art school. The competition, I think, is worse at a university that has specialized subjects,” Ulquiorra commented.

 

“Most of the universities are in or around Utsunomiya.” Nel set a bottle down in front of Grimmjow with a thunk. “Moving there would mean a house would be even more expensive. The cheapest house for what we're looking for is between Karakura and Nikko.”

 

“Karakura to Utsunomiya? That's a long ass commute to go to school,” Grimmjow said angrily, picking up the bottle and taking a drink. “I'm not moving my workshop. Sorry. The band mostly plays gigs around Nikko. What are you gonna do about Candy Ink? Are you gonna move it? Most of your artists live in Nikko.”

 

Both Nel and Ulquiorra looked at him and he just glared back. He was being moody and they would just have to deal with it.

 

“The cheapest option for a house is in Karakura. We will be paying slightly more for a place on the outskirts of Nikko. Moving to Utsunomiya is out of the question,” Ulquiorra stated.

 

“I wish Orihime would tell us what she thought about all of this,” Nel said as she sat back down between the men.

 

A thought struck Grimmjow and it made him glower more. He clenched his jaw and thought about what it could mean. The jealousy monster was back. “What if she's not saying anything because she plans on staying in a dormitory when university starts? What if she's not even planning on moving in with us?”

 

Nel opened her mouth as if to argue and then closed it. Ulquiorra's face became a blank space. Grimmjow took another swallow of beer while they contemplated this possibility.

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra walked up the stairs to his apartment and as he passed by Orihime's door, he paused. He almost knocked on her door. He continued onto his own apartment and dropped off his things. Orihime had been acting strange since Grimmjow told them of the men that had accosted her. She'd been silent and withdrawn. It bothered him because Orihime did not act like that; he was used to her being happy and bubbly. With a sigh, he pulled open his front door and walked over to the other door. He raised his hand and knocked. He listened to someone shuffling around on the other side. When the door finally opened, he frowned.

 

Orihime looked at him with an almost disassociated stare. “Oh, it's you. What do you want?” she asked dejectedly.

 

“Orihime?”

 

“That's me,” she said. “Do you want to come in?”

 

Ulquiorra wasn't sure if he should do this because Grimmjow had made it very clear to him one day they were alone, that Orihime was his and his alone. Ulquiorra would have to put up one hell of a fight to get the redhead back. “I just came by to see if you were okay,” he said in an uneasy tone. “We've noticed a change lately.”

 

“We've? Oh, you mean Grimmjow, Nel, and you,” she scoffed. In the entire time that Ulquiorra had known the girl. He'd never heard her sound so bitter. She had turned and walked back to her table, leaving him standing in the doorway. “Leave me alone, Ulquiorra. Just go back to them.”

 

His gut told him not to step into her apartment but he did so anyway. He shut the door with a quiet click. His feet carried him to the space in front of her where he knelt down then sat on his feet in the same fashion as she was seated. “Woman, what is the matter?”

 

“I'm not good enough. I'm not good enough for you. I'm not good enough for Grimmjow. I'm not good enough for Nel,” she muttered, looking at her lap. Ulquiorra wasn't sure if he had heard her right. “Why am I not special to you three? Why do you guys get to do what you want to do but I don't?”

 

“I am not following you,” he said. His hands wanted to reach out, touch her and in some way comfort her. His gut screamed at him this was a bad idea. “You are special to us. You are more than enough for me. Please talk to me, Orihime.”

 

She looked at him again but this time there was life behind her eyes. She was angry and it made him confused. What could Orihime be mad about? What had he or the other two done to raise her ire?

 

“Really? she asked. "Am I special to you? How come you've never done anything to me like you've done with Nel or Grimmjow?”

 

His brow furrowed deeper, thinking about what he had done with the other two people. “I'm again not following your line of thoughts.”

 

“Of course,” she said as she slowly shook her head. He watched her hand drift to the glass that was sitting on the table. “I guess since Nel's more experienced than me, she gets pleasured more.”

 

Ulquiorra's eyebrows raised as he smelled a familiar scent. He quickly reached out for the glass on the table before she could touch it. He sniffed the contents. “Where did you get alcohol?”

 

“Does it matter?”

 

“You're not twenty years old! Where did you get this—” he sniffed the glass again. “Is this vodka?”

 

Orihime gave a one-shoulder shrug. “You had it in your apartment,” she said.

 

“You went into my apartment?” he asked. His voice could almost be an indignant screech. “Are you drunk?”

 

“I promised myself I would never drink because my parents were abusive and alcoholics. My mom was a prostitute. My dad was probably her pimp. Sora told me this when I was old enough to understand. He told me because he...” she trailed off, staring at nothing. Her eyes then snapped to his face. “You guys make me feel like I'm a child! Why do you feel the need to protect me? Why can't I be used like Nel was? Why can't I give you guys oral sex?”

 

His brain was now the one screaming at him that this was an absolute trap and he should retreat! Ulquiorra didn't move, he just stared at her. She wasn't making any sense. She broke into his apartment and stole his vodka because they protected her? She got drunk because she wasn't in threesomes or asked to give blowjobs?

 

“Woman, what is going on in your head?”

 

“I'm frustrated,” she replied. Orihime brought her hand to the spot right below where her heart sat. His eyes were drawn to the hand. “There is this swirling emptiness that's fluttering in my chest. It kind of sits between my heart and the bottom of my rib cage. It's endless. This darkness that is consuming me.”

 

Those words hit him with an impact of a car hitting a brick wall. It hit him like a wave knocking over a person. Ulquiorra sensed the sadness and despair she was feeling at that moment. What had prompted this? Was the alcohol the cause of this? He was almost tempted to call Grimmjow and tell him to get his ass over to her apartment. He knew Orihime would not appreciate the gesture. Why did she feel like this? What was wrong? “How can I help you? Why are you feeling this way?”

 

A frantic giggle came from her and he became truly distressed. Warning sirens blared in his head and he ignored them because there was something disturbing her. She finally looked up at him, “Take me.”

 

His breath caught in his throat at that sentence. He tried to swallow or speak but he couldn't make anything happen with his body. He was frozen. Ulquiorra so desperately wanted to do what she said. He couldn't do as she asked because they had made rules. He couldn't break the rules. They were in place for a reason. “I cannot, Orihime,” he said in a barely audible whisper. His voice sounded ragged and torn.

 

“Use me then.”

 

“I can not!”

 

“Why? Am I not good enough? Is Nel better than me in some way?” she asked, her tone on the edge of hysterical. “You were going to use me weeks ago, what happened? Don't you want me now?”

 

“Orihime, you are under the influence of alcohol. I don't know how much you've had to drink but I think you have no clue as to what you are saying. I want you badly, Woman, but we are friends, remember?” Ulquiorra tried to comfort her and remind her of his apology but he knew he had failed when he heard her speak again.

 

“I want you now. I want someone now. I don't care if it is you or if it is Grimmjow. I want one of you to take me right now. I don't care how you use my body. Take me like you two took Nel. Teach me, so I don't feel like I'm useless,” Orihime said, pleading with him now.

 

He was going to leave. He would not give into this temptation. He would call Grimmjow and Nel. Ulquiorra stood up and looked down at her. She stared up at him with wide innocent eyes. He bit his lip with desire, raking his teeth across his bottom lip. It was slowly taking over his brain as he studied her. Orihime had the appearance of an obedient and compliant subject. He felt almost like he was leading a lamb to slaughter as he asked, “You want to be trained? You're willing to truly submit to me?”

 

She nodded.

 

“Follow me, Woman,” his voice was thick with desire and anticipation.

 

He turned on his heels and headed for the door. Ulquiorra wasn't new to the world of master and subordinate. Most of his former girlfriends had been sexually submissive. They were pliable and willing to please. When he disappointed them with his barren emotional state, they became the aggressive ones in the relationship. He didn't take kindly to the women trying to control him. He also wasn't a stranger to the world of sexual deviances. His lists of kinks and fetishes were long and varied. He knew Orihime was a virgin at the time he first encountered her. He did not want to scare the young woman into swearing off sex forever.

 

Ulquiorra walked out of her apartment and waited as she closed and locked the door. He then led her over to his own door, where he entered and once again, waited for her. He turned on the lights before he shut and locked the door. He knew he was breaking the rules. The one rule he had insisted on, he was going to shatter with a sledgehammer and not give the slightest fuck.

 

He would take her.

 

He would use her.

 

He would claim her.

 

He would do all of this in one night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seether – Broken  
> Aesthetic Perfection – Inhuman  
> The All-American Rejects – It Ends Tonight  
> Andy Black – Beautiful Pain  
> Arie Dixon – Fuck The Other Side  
> Avenged Sevenfold – To End the Rapture (Rock Version)  
> Blue October – Ugly Side


	17. The Submission of Orihime Inoue.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taken. Claimed. Used. Submitted. Ulquiorra tells Orihime what he likes. Nel and Grimmjow break a rule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> A rather GRAPHIC SEXY TIME CHAPTER... For those who wanted it, ULQUIHIME! Enjoy it. :D

He stood before her in just a pair of jeans. He had nothing on his feet or his chest. He had moved the futon to the center of the room and folded it over. It would be more comfortable for her with the double thickness.

 

Orihime was going to be on her knees for a long time tonight.

 

He ordered her to undress and fold her clothes. When she was done, he placed the neat pile on top of the tansu. “Sit,” he commanded and held a hand out towards the futon.

 

Ulquiorra watched as her lip trembled before she sank down onto the mattress. He walked around her, studying her form. She sat on her feet as she was used to doing, her back arched just right. Her spine was straight. Her shoulders rigid, possibly because of the fact she had no idea what the man was going to do. Her round bottom was perched on top of her feet.

 

She wanted to be used like Nel. He'd never considered it something he'd be interested in, until now. He would have to do research until he felt comfortable with how to approach a thing like anal sex and those who were virgins in that area. Ulquiorra would never do something sexual if it caused pain. He'd study the subject until he found a way to cause pleasure.

 

“Stay,” he said and then walked over to the closet. Inside, on the top shelf was a small box. He pulled this box down and brought it over to where she was sitting. He carefully removed the top and removed the items that were inside. He could hear her breathing increase as he took each object out and placed it on the floor.

 

He stood again and moved so that he was behind her. Ulquiorra whispered into her ear, “Woman, I'm going to tell you something. Ever since I took your body the first time, I've been training you. It may not seem like it but I have. You are not to speak unless I ask you a question. You are not to question me. You are to obey me when you are alone with me. Do you understand?”

 

The redhead nodded. He knew her eyes were still on the objects in front of her. He moved her long hair to one side, exposing her neck. She trembled under his fingers. “Before you came into my life, I had no need for sex. I'd only had sex a handful of times. I know what I like though. I've done a lot of reading on different subjects. I'm going tell you some of the things I like that are considered kinks. They might not be liked by normal people and are considered different. I like biting. I like marking people. I want to mark you and permanently make you mine. I want to claim you as mine. I want to ink your skin. I will only do so when you are ready.”

 

He heard her breath speed up and smirked. She was responding. He stepped so that he was in front of her again. Sinking to his knees, he picked up the first item, which was a foil square; a condom. “You may think I used these as protection, but it was more of a masochist thing for me. I deny myself pleasure by holding back and draw out the agony of holding off my own orgasm. Condoms dull the senses. I cannot use them anymore with you because I know what you feel like against my bare skin. Are you on birth control?”

 

“Yes,” she answered. She looked at him and opened her mouth but then closed it. Ulquiorra sensed she wanted to ask a question.

 

“Good,” he replied and put the condom back into the box. “You're curious about something, aren't you? Ask.”

 

She nodded demurely. “Do you like tattoos? I mean, do you like tattoos on your lovers?”

 

“I enjoy them. They're nice to explore with a tongue or fingers. I enjoy inking others. I like to cause them the physical pain. You can see people at their most vulnerable while being a sadist.”

 

“You want to tattoo me?”

 

“Only when you feel you are ready.”

 

“What will you put on me?”

 

“That is for you to ultimately decide. I can give my opinion, and I can advise you. We can come to a compromise. It will be small and unable to be seen in public,” he answered “The next thing I like is to perform oral sex on females. I love finger fucking them. I love licking and tasting them. I could spend all day between your legs. One of these days, I would like to experience you sitting on my face.”

 

This information earned him a gasp, and he could see her blush. He trailed a finger down her neck to the area between her collarbones. “I love your neck. It's why I marked it so much in the past. The base of your throat, the back of your neck. I also have an oral fixation. Your mouth draws my eyes to it. The way you _bite_ it. The way your tongue sneaks out to wet your lips. I love kissing you, Orihime, my woman.”

 

He didn't miss the way she shivered when his finger slid slowly over her bottom lip. The woman parted her mouth. He inserted one finger into her mouth and marveled as she started sucking slowly on the digit. He could feel her soft tongue mold itself to the shape of the intruding finger. The heat of her mouth went straight to his groin, intensifying the pressure there. He quickly pulled his hand back and willed himself to calm down.

 

Ulquiorra leaned forward slightly, ghosting his mouth over hers. He started whispering against her mouth. “I love how the next morning when you wake up, you're a fucking mess. The mussed hair, flushed cheeks, and swollen mouth. I like seeing how your body shows how I marked you. I like seeing the bruises I've caused by gripping your body. I love seeing your legs shiny with your come. I like seeing you well-fucked. You get this sated and sleepy look like you've enjoyed the ultimate satisfaction. I enjoy seeing you debauched.”

 

She whimpered as he pulled back. He could see her nipples peaking from her breasts; how her chest was rising and falling quickly due to her breathing. “I also would love to see you with some type of piercing. The belly button would be too bland for my taste. Nipples would be interesting. Are you getting turned on?”

 

Another whimper. “Answer me, Woman. I want to hear it.”

 

“Yes.”

 

He picked up the next item in front of her. It was a piece of white material that was long and thick. “I like seeing you as this innocent, almost virginal and inexperienced lover. It means I can teach you things. How to take pleasure in my body. How to take pleasure in your own body.”

 

He smirked as she sharply inhaled. “Oh, yes, Woman. I will see you pleasure yourself soon. You will watch in a mirror as you finger fuck yourself. I will watch you do this because I love studying you. I love watching you do anything. You are going to see what it looks like when I fuck you. Would you like that? Would you like to see me fuck you? ”

 

“Ulquiorra,” she whined, pressing her hands into her lap. He could see her fingers snake in between her thighs. He stopped her.

 

“No touching. I'm not done,” he said removing her hands. It was quite possible that she was almost to the point of an orgasm. He wasn't ready for her to come just yet. He held up the white material in his hands. “Do you know what this is?”

 

She shook her head.

 

“It can be used as a gag to keep others from hearing how I am making you come. It can be used as a blindfold. It can be used as a restraint. I want to pin you down, tie you down. I want to restrain your arms as I fuck you from behind.”

 

Ulquiorra could see her face flush more. She squirmed where she was sitting. He put the fabric into the box then picked up a feather. He used it to gently stroke down her face and neck. He made sure to use delicate caresses once he reached her breast. Each nipple got the attention it deserved from the feather, but it was fleeting. He used the feather on her stomach and then the tops of her thighs. “Spread your legs.”

 

He wasn't surprised to see her legs slick with her arousal. He was, however, surprised and a bit delighted to see the wet spot outlined on the futon. He discarded the feather and used a finger to trace a path from her bellybutton to where the small area of trimmed pubic hair lay. “Well, this is new,” he commented running his fingers down the hair. “What prompted his?”

 

“Grimmjow likes it trimmed,” she stammered. “He—he—he—Oh gods, please, Ulquiorra.”

 

Ulquiorra used his thumb to press down at the top of her nether lips. She instantly started to move her hips against his hand. His voice was like cool silk against the hot skin when he said, “I like hearing you beg, Orihime. Do it again.”

 

The thumb started rubbing in slow circles in the same spot which made her whine and moan louder. His voice deepened slightly as he was getting turned on by this just as much as she was, “I love seeing your back arch like this. I love seeing you move your hips. Do you like this?”

 

A finger slowly swept through the wet folds. She was dripping, and Ulquiorra longed to bury his face in her. He would wait though. Patience would be rewarded. “I can imagine you on top of me grinding and rocking your hips. I can see you shivering as your orgasm comes closer. I wonder what it would look like if I hooked your legs onto my shoulders, bending you in half.”

 

He kept up the slow circles although she was trying to get him to move faster. “I want to fuck you in a shower. Maybe take you to a hotel with a bathtub big enough for both of us to be in. Perhaps, find a hotel with a hot tub and make you sit on top of those water jets.”

 

“Ulquiorra, please.”

 

“Please what?”

 

“Please,” she breathed. Suddenly, she cried out. He had slipped two fingers inside of her while his thumb had parted the folds to find her clit.

 

“You're wet.”

 

“Fuck me, please.”

 

Those words; those words that fell from her lips made him snap. His green eyes darkened. Whatever resolve he had of making this last, disappeared, along with his common sense. He used his free arm to crush her body against his and kissed her roughly while he fucked her with his fingers. Ulquiorra could feel her body start to tighten and pulse. She was close to an orgasm. He added another finger inside of her, marveling at how fucking tight she was. She cried out again, clinging to him. All he did was firmly stroke the spot he knew was there. He knew what this action would do. He was not disappointed.

 

Orihime screamed and buried her face into his neck. Wetness flooded his hands and ran down her legs. It dripped onto the futon below her. He wanted to take her now. He felt a sharp stab of pain and realized she bit him. She was coming so hard, she bit him. The sounds coming from her mouth sounded almost hysterical and primal.

 

He gradually stopped all movement and removed his hand from between her legs. She collapsed against him, sobbing. Ulquiorra was automatically afraid that he had hurt her. “Woman? Are you hurt?”

 

“No—oo—oo,” she hiccuped. “I don't know why I'm crying. It just started after that—that—that—After I came.”

 

The logical part of his brain told him she was just experiencing an intense rush of hormones and endorphins that the orgasm had caused. Ulquiorra pulled her into his lap, cradling her gently. “Orihime, do you submit to me?”

 

He had to know.

 

“Yes,” she said in a breathy whisper. She tilted her up to look at him. There was something in her eyes that he couldn't decipher. He nodded at her response and then kissed her.

 

* * *

 

His hands held her weight against the brick wall with her legs wrapped around him. Nel could feel that tingling in her legs again as Grimmjow fucked her. The rough texture of the wall scratched her back. This was nothing about pleasuring her as it was about him. This way lacked technique of skillful lovemaking. It was more about need. It wasn't forced and she didn't have to think about what he liked or didn't like.

 

This was never awkward as she knew Grimmjow just followed instinct. He was confident when he fucked her. Yes, they were breaking the rules but damn them for the moment.

 

It had just happened.

 

After they said goodnight to Ulquiorra, Grimmjow had stomped off to the bedroom. Nel had just sighed. She knew he was frustrated because of the whole no sex rule. She had an inkling that Ulquiorra had suggested it as a way to mostly keep Orihime away from Grimmjow.

 

She followed him into that room, and he was pacing the floor. As soon as he saw her, he was on her. He tore her t-shirt off. She had to hold him off from ripping her pajama pants. Once she was naked, he was inside of her.

 

The first orgasm she had was fast and not really satisfying because it had no build up. The second one came when he pushed her against the wall. If he didn't have to hold her, it meant he could fuck her harder. Grimmjow didn't care as he drove into her over and over.

 

This was fucking at it's finest and animalistic.

 

It was filthy and rough and selfish. It was amazing. Nel hadn't realized she was even horny. She had just made herself so busy that it hadn't been a priority.

 

He finally threw her onto the bed. She flipped over onto her stomach and got to her knees. As Grimmjow grabbed her hips, the breath left her lungs when he slammed into her. It was quick and took her by surprise. The third orgasm started as a vibrating in her legs and hit her senses with a scream. She could feel herself pulsing around Grimmjow's cock. She felt him hold out for close to a minute until he hissed and groaned. She could feel him coming inside her.

 

“Fuck!” he grunted. Eventually, he flopped on the bed beside her, covered in sweat. She realized she was also sweating. “Fuck, Nel. What the hell was that?”

 

“What do you mean, what the hell was that?” she asked, her body sprawled on the mattress. She felt like her skeleton had left her.

 

“Tch, I was hoping to draw that out longer, but damn you did something to me,” he said before taking a deep breath. “Shit, we broke the rules. Ha!”

 

Nel laughed along with Grimmjow. They had shattered the rules. She rolled over onto her back and turned her head to look at the man with blue hair. ”As long as we don't say anything we can continue to break the rules.”

 

“Fuck his rules.”

 

“Some of them are practical,” Nel stated.

 

“The no sex one is ridiculous. He never explained why he wanted that rule. I think it's because he wants to keep me away from Orihime,” Grimmjow grumbled. “Won't happen. I'll find some way to fuck her between now and the time we move somewhere.”

 

Nel propped herself up on her elbows and glared at him. “Think of this Grimmjow, if we continue to break his rule. You can stay away from her,” she said. A jolt of jealousy shot through her because all he was worried about was Orihime. She was perfectly capable of keeping him happy while he was in exile from his side chick.

 

With a sigh, she sat then stood. Maybe she had outgrown Grimmjow. Perhaps he was just as destructive as Nnoitra was but in a different way.

  
  
“Where are you going?” Grimmjow asked as she walked to the door. “Are you mad? How can you be mad?”

 

“I'm not mad,” she said and walked out of the room. Nel was mad though. Very mad.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not gonna last! HAHAHAHA!
> 
> OneOhTrix Point Never - Sticky Drama  
> Syd - Drown In It  
> Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 It  
> Xscape - My Little Secret  
> Prince - Pussy Control  
> OutKast - Spread  
> LL Cool J - Doin It  
> Trey Songz - Neighbors Know My Name  
> Nemesis - Munchies for Your Bass  
> Rihanna - Sex with Me  
> Akinyele ft. Kia Jeffries - Put It In Your Mouth  
> Mos Def - The Panties  
> Drake - Practice  
> Khia - My Neck, My Back  
> Prince - Diamonds and Pearls


	18. House of Temptation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after sees Ulquiorra and Orihime breaking a rule. They look at houses and fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> hehehe... I lied... MOOOOOOORE SEXY TIME! lol.

He did not fuck her. _Yet._

 

He did not take her. _Yet_.

 

He did not use her. _Yet_.

 

He did not claim her. _Yet_.

 

All he accomplished was her agreeing to submit to him.

 

Orihime ended up falling asleep after her intense orgasm. Ulquiorra didn't want to bother her to wake up, so he laid her on the floor. He then spread out the futon mattress. He put a towel down on the wet spot she had made by coming then placed her on it once he was satisfied that she would be comfortable.

 

Ulquiorra proceeded to pick up the items that went into his box of kink and placed it back in the closet. He would have plenty of time to train her. He went into the kitchen and got a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and placed it next to the futon. She would be thirsty after what had transpired.

 

He stood there for a moment looking at her. She was gorgeous. He thought back and remembered the day he was shot. He had woken her up with sex, went to get her ring, and brought her flowers. She'd been so ridiculously happy about them. When he had opened the box of his personal things the hospital had given Orihime, he was surprised to see that ring box with the ring still inside. She didn't take it. It had broken his heart just as much as hearing about the miscarriage. It had fueled his jealousy induced attack against her. It was a reason why he had sex with Nel.

 

He sighed and thought about the consequences of what he did. On one hand, he had her in his bed again. The other hand told him if Grimmjow ever found out about what had happened, he'd be a dead man in no time flat. Without giving it another thought, Ulquiorra undressed, grabbed his phone, and climbed onto the futon beside the sleeping woman.

 

If things happened, they happened. He had some research to do on a particular subject if he was going to keep his lady happy.

 

* * *

 

She woke up and stretched her appendages out. Her hand and legs hit another warm body, and Orihime opened her eyes to see black hair.

 

Oh, it hadn't been a dream. He had indeed done and said all those things to her.

 

Oh.

 

She could feel her face getting hot. She could remember being sad and using the key to his apartment to find the bottle of alcohol he kept stashed there. It had been horrible but the burn was pleasant. It kept the dark and lonesome feelings away. It was nice. It made her head warm and fuzzy. Well, it had, until she started thinking about Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, Nel and the baby. Then she gave into the depression. Then he had arrived. In her drunken fog, she asked him to do things to her.

 

Why did she feel so happy right now? Why did she feel so relaxed? Was it because of him? Was she content because she was laying beside him? Was this how her life was supposed to be?

 

He was sleeping next to her, his body curled around hers. Orihime knew that all she had to do was start rubbing her bottom against him to elicit a response from him. She tried it just to see if it worked still. After all, it had been a long time since they had been intimate.

 

Her hips rolled slowly against him. His hand came down to her waist like a vice grip. He pulled her tight against him.

 

“Woman,” he murmured.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Stop that.”

 

This made her smile. Orihime knew from the lap dance classes she had been taking with Nel that if a man trapped your waist, you could still grind on them by moving your hips in circles. She did that. He responded. This time both hands came up to grip her hips to stop her movement.

 

“Woman.”

 

“Yes?” she asked, trying to make her voice sound as innocent as possible.

 

“Stop that.” His voice was muffled this time, and she could feel him burrowing his face into her hair. She heard him take a deep breath. “You smell different, like cherries or marzipan.”

 

“Almonds.”

 

“It smells good, better than strawberries. Are you going to behave so I can go back to sleep?”

 

“Mmmm... Probably not,” she said with a smile. She wiggled her hips.

 

“Woman.”

 

“Hmmm.”

 

“I'm trying to follow my own rule. Please don't make this hard for me,” he said.

 

“You've made it hard,” she said. She rolled her hips again as if to prove a point. “I'm only trying to make it harder.”

 

With a groan, he propped his body up and looked at her. “Did you just make a joke about the fact that I'm hard?”

 

Orihime smiled and nodded. She gave a squeal as Ulquiorra pinned her to the mattress with his body. All she had to do was part her legs and he'd be right there. So, she did that. She spread her thighs, watching as he dropped between them. Then she bent her knees to make it easier for him.

 

She could feel him against her. She tried her best to look innocent, but he saw right through her. He was scowling at her.

 

“Woman, I've not gotten a lot of sleep. I was up most of the night researching a delicate subject. Don't tempt me at the moment. I don't have the power to resist you,” he murmured into her ear. She gently rocked against him. This made him give a low hiss. “Orihime, the moment you start this, you know what is going to happen. How are you going to explain the bruises?”

 

“What were you researching?” she asked, apparently ignoring his questions. She continued to squirm and rock against his cock.

 

* * *

 

Ugh, this woman knew what she was doing to him. Ulquiorra wanted to give into her ministrations but he had a clear head this morning. He knew that if they did this, there would some type of evidence. He should just get off the futon and lock himself in the bathroom.

 

He didn't want to do that. He wanted this. Why was he fighting against it?

 

He knew why. It was all because he didn't want Grimmjow to find out. He had to bite back a groan as the head of his cock finally slipped into her. His eyes rolled back and he gripped the fabric beneath his fist. “I was—Dammit, woman. I was re—research—researching—anal sex.”

 

When she moaned, he knew he was in her entirely. He could feel intense heat from the base of his cock all the way up to the head. He could not touch her. If he did, he would leave marks.

 

“What did you find out about anal sex?” she asked as she continued to move against him.

 

Ulquiorra groaned. He wanted to grab her and just start fucking her. Without another thought held her waist and then smoothly flipped them so that she was on top of him. He bit his lip as he slid farther into her. Once she was on top of him, he put his hands under his head and grabbed his hair. He couldn't touch her if his hands were tangled up.

 

Orihime looked down at him. “Why did you do that?”

 

“Either you ride me, and I don't touch you,” he gasped as she started rocking fully on him. “Or I fuck you, woman. I will leave marks and Grimmjow will kill me.”

 

“Oh,” she replied, taking her time moving on him. “So, are you going to tell me?”

 

He had missed this, the feeling of her body on his. He was so lost in the sensation that he almost missed her question. “Tell you what?”

 

“What you found out,” she replied.

 

“Orihime, are we having sex or having a conversation?” Ulquiorra asked through gritted teeth, becoming annoyed. He didn't get to have his fun with her last night so that resulted in sexual frustration. He was denying himself the pleasure of her body this morning, that caused frustration. Now, she wanted to talk while doing this? He just wanted to come with her at the moment. They had time to talk afterward.

 

He had been expecting an answer but was surprised as Orihime tugged on one of his wrists and then the other free from the grip on his head. Her fingers intertwined with his hands. She was holding him down or at least trying to because he started struggling against her hold. That's all it took. Her trying to hold him in place made him snap.

 

It happened quickly. He bucked against her and sat up so that she was sitting in his lap. He had both of her wrists in one hand behind her back while the other wrapped around her waist. It didn't take long for the couple to achieve an orgasm together.

 

* * *

 

“For those prices, these places are small,” Orihime said as she looked at the computer printout Nel handed her.

 

Nel nodded, she had been worrying about the price of buying a house. When she saw the actual prices, she had a fit. Even if they moved to the outskirts of Nikko, it would still cost them a good chunk of change for a small house. She shuffled a couple of pages out of the way and handed Orihime a sheet of paper. “This is the biggest place for sale. It also has the biggest price tag. We'd each have our own personal space and the communal sleeping room. We wouldn't be on top of each other.”

 

The teal haired woman watched as the redhead stared at the page before quickly putting it down. She laughed and handed her another sheet. “This is the cheapest house. It's also the smallest, but it was built this year. We all would be on top of each other. There's no privacy but yay for modern toilets.”

 

The women sat in Nel's office with papers scattered all over the desk. It'd been about a week since Nel and Grimmjow broke _The Rule_. She couldn't say anything about it because they promised not to talk about it. They were to pretend it never happened, except it happened again the next night and the next night and every night since.

 

They were silent as they looked through prospects. Until Nel decided to address an issue that had been bothering her. “You know, it's nice to see you've gotten out of your funk. You're a pleasure to be around now.”

 

Orihime blushed and shook her head. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make everyone sad or put them in a bad mood.”

 

Nel shrugged. “It didn't really affect me. Grimm and Ulquiorra were the most affected by your... well your mood. They were afraid that you weren't planning on joining us in the house. Grimm was actually afraid that you were going to leave to live in a dormitory once you started university.”

 

“I haven't decided if I'm going. I still don't know what I want to do,” Orihime said quietly. Nel instantly looked up at the young woman with an angry expression. The redhead saw it and said, “Don't Nel. I'm just wondering if I could take another year off. I just want to do so much. I want to go places. I want to experience things. I want to try all the different things that I can. Have you ever felt that way?”

 

The teal haired woman nodded. “I know how that is, but we all have obligations. You're not financially stable to do any of it. You depend on your aunt for that. If you go to school and get a job, you can do that kind of stuff.”

 

“Losing Ulquiorra taught me that life's really too short to take for granted,” Orihime murmured.

 

“But he's back!”

 

“Whose back?”

 

* * *

 

There was a silence in the room as Ulquiorra walked into Nel's office. He had his hands in his pockets. He didn't bother looking at Orihime. He wasn't going to give anything away this time. He noticed that the redhead had blushed as he sat down in the other chair in front of Nel's desk. Were the women talking about him? Had they been discussing something that concerned him?

 

His boss gave an awkward laugh. “Well, speak of the devil,” Nel said. Her smile looked fake.

 

Ulquiorra's eyes shifted from teal hair to red hair. “What are you two planning?”

 

“Nothing! We're talking about houses!” Orihime said and pushed two pieces of paper at him. Her voice sounded like she was embarrassed. “This one is cheap and small. The other is expensive and huge.”

 

He took the papers from Orihime and glanced them over. He laid both of them on the desk then tapped the newer house. “The cheaper one is on the other side of Nikko, near Nikko Kirifuri Ice Arena, that is a  good ways away from here. Also with it being a new construction, there won't be any privacy that you would get with this one; look at the trees that surround the house. Also, the new house would be about ten kilometers to walk from the house to where Candy Ink located. The older and more expensive house is more about six kilometers, give or take some. That's roughly an eleven-minute car ride or an hour walk.”

 

“How did you figure out all of that so fast?” Nel asked raising her eyebrows in surprise.

 

The man shrugged. “I don't really know,” he answered.

 

“Honestly, how did someone like you not get into a university?”

 

“Honestly? You know why. I wasn't accepted to my first choice which was a university for art and refused to go to some school for business or engineering,” he stated to Nel. “When it came time to retake the exam, I was an apprentice at Shinji's. Why are you asking after knowing this information for years?”

 

“You didn't go to a university by choice?” This was Orihime's voice. Ulquiorra looked over at her then nodded. “You told me you never got into one!”

 

“I never got into the one I wanted. That's not an option for you! You got your first choice! You're going!”

 

The redhead pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. “What if I want to learn how to be a tattoo artist? What if I want to write books for kids? What if I want to do something that doesn't require more schooling?”

 

This made Ulquiorra chuckle. “One, you could never be a tattoo artist, not saying you don't have the skill for it but I don't think you could physically harm someone like that. If you want to write books then go ahead, you can go to school while doing it. What do you want to do that doesn't require schooling?”

 

“I don't know.”

 

Nel sighed. “We're supposed to be talking about houses, not university. It's her life, Ulquiorra. She's allowed to choose her own path for it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> INXS - Need You Tonight  
> George Michael - Outside  
> Bjork - Cocoon  
> Tweet - Oh My  
> Lil' Kim - How Many Licks  
> David Banner - Play  
> Jason DeRulo - Trumpets  
> Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do  
> Trey Songz - Slow Motion
> 
> Next chapter I bet your heart breaks. :D  
> 


	19. Four Men and Their Little Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More fights break out. Orihime and Ulquiorra get caught by Grimmjow. The redhead makes a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> Sexual content. Grimmjow's a minute man!

“What's your interest in this chick?” Bazz asked Tsukishima, who was currently staring out at the city of Tokyo from the window of their father's penthouse.

 

Tsukishima said nothing. He wasn't obligated to tell his half-brother anything. He knew why he was interested in her. There was something about her that he wanted to crush; to place under his foot and stomp down. Perhaps, it was the smiling face in that magazine he saw a while ago. She had this air of innocence that he couldn't ignore. Naivety was more the word he was searching for.

 

He'd been studying her for a while. He knew where she worked. He knew where she lived. She knew who her friends were. He knew about the blue-haired man's visits. He knew about the dark-haired man. It seemed as if all their lives were entangled with each other.

 

“Hello? Tsu?”

 

“Do not call me that, you imbecile. You know my name,” he snapped, glaring at the other man. His hands were shoved deeper into the pockets of his trousers.

 

“Jeez, what's wrong with you?”

 

The tall man sighed. He didn't expect his brother to understand what he wanted to do. His father would be more apt for this conversation. The man was away on business though. He'd taken their bitch of a stepmother with him.

 

He had made a trade with his father. If the Aizen could pull some strings to get this woman into the university he attended, then he would refrain from making Tier's life hell. He also promised that he would graduate this year, so Aizen didn't have to keep paying for an education that was practically useless to him.

 

Tsukishima knew what his career was after university. He was to follow in his father's footsteps. He would shift their gang's focus to better money making ideas. Sex slaves and drugs seemed to be a big hit. Protection rings and gambling were small time ideas. He wanted more. He wanted his influence to be felt throughout the country.

 

* * *

 

The four of them looked through the house as the realtor guided them through it. Orihime had commented that the place looked very... dated.

 

“Well, yes, the house was built in 1988,” the realtor said.

 

“The kitchen is spacious, somewhat,” Nel said.

 

Grimmjow was the one looking around and making notes about the place in a book. “This place has a lot of potential. We can always update it. It has a driveway. And the trees!”

 

Ulquiorra said nothing. He just followed the rest of them. He had felt uneasy since he and Orihime had gotten into the small argument about her going to university. She had the opportunity to go do something with her life instead of being considered an outcast of the community. She could be whatever she wanted to be. Instead, she was moaning and complaining about having to go when she didn't want to.

 

As the quartet made their way to the next house, he still didn't say anything. They pulled up to a house that Grimmjow immediately complained about, saying it had no character like the other house. This one was the same price as the last one but had more floor space, but it had a tiny kitchen and only one bath; that got the women into an uproar.

 

“How do you expect four people to live with just one bathroom?”

 

“I like the windows and how sprawling it is. The only having one floor is a plus. The garden is nice too,” Ulquiorra said as they walked into the dining area. “There is plenty of space for us to have an area for ourselves. I'm sure that Grimmjow can do some remodeling for a second bath. It even has a space for laundry appliances. That means no more trips to a coin laundry. The other house didn't have that.”

 

“The house also features tatami rooms and rice paper screens. Allow me to show them to you,” the realtor chimed in.

 

It was a long day, but they finally decided over plates of sushi that the second house would be better. They'd have their communal sleeping room, and each person would have their own space to retreat for privacy. Grimmjow agreed to do the remodeling project by adding a second bathroom on the other side of the house and to update the tiny kitchen.

 

Ulquiorra was the one to call the realtor and tell them of their decision. The paperwork would be handled, and the man would notify them of the next step. The uneasiness didn't dissipate as Grimmjow pushed him away from the backseat of the car.

 

“Go sit up front with Nel,” he had growled.

 

“What?”

 

“I'm spending time with my girl,” Grimmjow said. “Go sit in the passenger seat. I'm sitting in back with Orihime.”

 

Ulquiorra's eyes became deadly as he stared at the taller man. He knew what Grimmjow's intended to do. “No, you're not. You're not breaking the rules.”

 

Grimmjow looked very displeased. “I'm not breaking the rules. We found a house. We'll be moving in together soon. You can try to talk her into taking you back then. Get out of my way.”

 

"Why so you can fuck her back there? No."

 

“You know what, you both can sit in the back!” Nel yelled. The green-eyed man watched as she motioned for the redhead to get into the front passenger seat. “Get in the car! Fucking men and their need for dominance. You all act like animals; like beasts!”

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow wasn't going to drop this issue. The next day that he knew she had off he was over at her apartment, knocking on the door in the morning. No one answered; he decided to wait. He leaned against the side of the building near the top of the stairs. He was staring at nothing when he heard Ulquiorra's door open.

 

His blue eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing. He wanted to tell himself that it was his imagination but he could not. His brain wouldn't listen.

 

Orihime was kissing Ulquiorra. She looked like she'd had a good time last night. When she turned away from the dark-haired man, she saw Grimmjow and froze. Ulquiorra saw Grimmjow. He reached his arm out to pull Orihime back into his apartment.

 

Grimmjow growled. His jaw clenched in anger. He was beyond pissed off. Of course, he couldn't get mad because he was doing the same stuff with Nel. He had warned Ulquiorra to stay away from her. He had told the other man not to touch her.

 

Orihime was whispering to him, saying something. He couldn't hear her words from this far away. She shook off his hand and started moving across the walkway to her own door. Grimmjow intercepted her. He followed her into her apartment, slamming the door shut. He toed off his shoes.

 

“You wanna tell me what that was about, Princess?”

 

Orihime was retrieving new clothes for the day and didn't answer him. She set the pile on her small table and then retrieved a towel. She was ignoring him. His eyes narrowed. He didn't like being ignored.

 

He watched as she went into the bathroom. He heard the shower running. He gave her a minute before he followed her. “ _La Princessa_ ,” Grimmjow barked as he barged through the door.

 

“Do you mind? I want to take a shower!” Orihime shouted at him. She was totally naked and whirled around to grab her towel. She was trying to cover her body, but it was too late. What he saw didn't please him. She shouted at him again, “I want you to leave.”

 

Grimmjow chuckled then scoffed. Then he got mad again and started yelling. “So you're not going to explain why you're kissing him or why you look like a Tokyo prostitute who had the time of their life last night. Weren't you saying a couple of months ago you were over him and you didn't want him anymore? You've got his marks all over you! Remember? You didn't want me to go get him.”

 

To prove a point, he poked a bite mark just above one of her tits. He could see her wince. “Why'd you go behind my back?”

 

“Why did _you_ go behind my back?”

 

“What's that supposed to mean?”

 

“Your threesome with Nel and Ulquiorra! You and Ulquiorra!” she shouted at him. She pointed a finger at his face and walked closer to him. “Did you ever have plans to tell Nel about us? Was I just something to pass the time with? Did you ever have any real feelings for me? You might say you're not going to give me up, but I don't think I want to be around—”

 

He didn't like people pointing fingers in his face. He hated it. It reminded him of when his ma would scold him for something. She had made the mistake of coming closer to him. He'd just followed his instincts. His brain was telling him to show her who she belonged to.

 

He grabbed her and kissed her hard. She didn't struggle or squirm against him. This felt just like the first time. They both frantically stripped him of his clothing. Grimmjow had her pinned up against the wall of the shower, her legs around his waist and nails dug into his shoulders. He was fucking her hard enough for the tile wall to temporarily imprint itself on her back.

 

They both were getting wet from the water coming from the shower head. He was going to come in her. She probably had taken several of Ulquiorra's loads in her, what was one more? With that thought, Grimmjow was done thinking anything. He responded to what his body was telling him he wanted.

 

He was mad with lust and jealousy. He gripped her tightly against him as he came inside of her. He yelled as he achieved an orgasm, not giving a damn who would be listening. His breath whooshed out of his lungs rapidly. He set Orihime down on the floor of the shower.

 

He was planning on getting dressed and leaving, as usual, but he found he couldn't. She was crying. With a sigh, he shut off the water and scooped her up, his arm cradling her back and under her knees. Grimmjow carried her into where the futon was laid out and sat down.

 

It sounded really shitty, but he apologized to her. “I'm sorry, Princess.” She sobbed against his chest, and he felt his heart drop. “I wasn't—I got jealous.”

 

This only made her cry harder. “Orihime, my princess, my love, Baby,” Grimmjow murmured to her. He tipped her head up so that he could look at her. “Stop crying. I apologize. Did I hurt you?”

 

Orihime's response chilled him to the bone. “Ulquiorra cares about me. He's been teaching me things. He has never told anyone to keep things from me. I know how he feels about me,” she muttered.

 

The blue-haired man was speechless. She actually thought that he didn't care about her? He opened and closed his mouth several times before finding his voice. His thoughts were still jumbled together. “Do you actually think I don't care about you? Princess, I put a three-almost-four year relationship on the line for you. I only meant to comfort you since you lost the baby. I didn't mean to get feelings for you, but I did. If I've kept things from you, it's only because I've been trying to protect you. Orihime, I've been trying to fight back these feelings I have for you. It's almost the same thing I feel for Nel. You two—I just want to come home to you and her.”

 

“If you want to come home to me, you're going to come home to him too.”

 

Grimmjow was confused for a moment before he realized that she was talking about Ulquiorra. Had she taken him back that fast? Well, fuck. He gathered her into his arms and kissed her deeply. This time he was slow and gentle.

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra was sitting on the hood of Grimmjow's car when he came down the stairs. The blue-haired man was in her apartment for a long time. He heard the sex going on. It was kind of hard to miss it when they both were screaming and yelling. He'd put in a pair of earbuds and turned the music up on his phone. After an hour of listening to someone scream at his eardrums, he went outside surprised to find his friend's car still there. He just decided to sit on it and wait. He felt they needed to talk.

 

“Are you my new hood ornament?” Grimmjow asked as he put his arms on the roof of the car with a sigh. The dark-haired man was sure that he had meant it as a joke, but he didn't detect any amusement in Grimmjow's tone. “What do you want, Ulquiorra?”

 

“Can we talk?”

 

“You want to talk?”

 

“Just talk. There's obviously a rough patch we need to get over,” Ulquiorra said in a flat voice. He wasn't going to bring emotion into this. It would either lead to them in a compromising position or to kill each other. “It involves Nel, Orihime, you, and me. If you want us all to live together, we're going to have to address the situation.”

 

He watched as Grimmjow reached a hand up to scratch the back of his neck. The man was thinking about his offer. “Do you want to talk here? Do you want to get all of us together and talk? Did you want to get a beer?”

 

“I think ten in the morning is a bit early to be drinking. How about a coffee from that place by your workshop?”

 

* * *

 

Orihime watched as the two men drove off in Grimmjow's car. She felt ruined. Broken. Damaged. She should have been more forceful when telling him to get out. She should have slapped him when he kissed her. She didn't, because she missed him, just as she had missed Ulquiorra. His embrace was comforting for a second before the anger flooded back into her nerves. She felt weak for crying in front of him but she was tired of the two men treating her like she was an object to fight over. She thought back to the months before she met Ulquiorra. She'd been a pushover. She'd been weak. After Ulquiorra, she had been dead inside. She had changed once again when Grimmjow became a prominent part of her life.

 

Getting dressed, Orihime decided she was going to take a walk. She was surprised to find herself in front of her place of employment. She wasn't scheduled to work today. An idea came to her, and she knew that she shouldn't entertain the idea, but she wondered.

 

Nel's back was covered in ink, depicting various things that she liked and meant a lot to her. Grimmjow had that skeletal jawbone tattooed on his neck which crept up to his neck. He had other tattoos done by Nel. Ulquiorra had the five tattoos. He was talking about getting more, but he could never draw anything that satisfied him.  
  
The man had been sweet enough to draw her some potential tattoo designs, but she kept telling him she wasn't ready for one yet.

 

If that was the case then _WHY_ was she standing out here contemplating physical pain as a way to combat the emotional distress churning inside of her? Ulquiorra had done it. It seemed to be more efficient than drinking alcohol. With a sigh, she pulled the door open and walked into the building.

 

It was the same place as it had always been, except Rangiku now sat at the counter with her son strapped to her chest. The baby was sleeping. Every time she saw the infant, her heart ached. Had she not miscarried, she would have had her own newborn to take care of.

 

It was as if someone had chopped a piece of her heart out and burned it, leaving nothing but ash and dust. There would be times she would be at home, alone, and she would start crying because she felt so alone. Sora, Enraku, and the Jizo statue would stare at her from the altar. She didn't know if people knew how lonely she actually was at times. She didn't think they would understand. No one seemed to know when Ulquiorra went into exile. No one understood when they thought he had died.

  
“Doll? You okay? You're not scheduled for today, ya know.”

 

Rangiku was talking to her. Orihime shook her head. “I'm sorry. I don't know—Is Ulquiorra here?”

 

She knew he wasn't scheduled until later that afternoon, but she had to mask her embarrassment. Rangiku clicked several buttons on the computer and shook her head. “Nel will be in here in about thirty minutes if you need to talk to someone.”

 

“Is Pesche here?”

 

“Pesche? As in the piercer, Pesche?”

 

“Mmmhmm!”

 

She saw Rangiku's eyebrow shoot up. She knew the blonde woman was trying to figure out what the hell Orihime would want with that oddball. The woman stood, while supporting the baby in the carrier on her chest and went behind the curtain, she returned a moment later with Pesche.

 

“Uh, you wanted to see me?” He said in a tone that conveyed he was confused. The situation was awkward, and Orihime nodded. “What did you want me for?”

 

“Can we talk back in your room?” Orihime asked. She knew if she asked Pesche what she wanted in front of Rangiku, the blonde woman would call Nel and everyone else to tell them what the redhead was planning.

 

“Sure.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Killers - Mr. Bright Side  
> Trent Reznor - Hurt  
> Butterfly Boucher - Bitter Song  
> The Megas - History Repeating Part I  
> Poets of the Fall - Late goodbye  
> VAST - Flames  
> The Tea Party - Release  
> Fall Out Boy - Sugar We're Going Down  
> Nirvana - Lounge Act  
> X Japan - Silent Jealousy  
> 3 Doors Down – Landing In London (All I Think About Is )  
> 


	20. A Pierced Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orihime tells people to mind their business. The other three get some really good new and apologize to the redhead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> This chapter contains an explicit piercing description of a nipple. If you've not figured out what I do for a living, well... IDK. I'm a tattoo artist. I do piercings too. :D

Orihime sat in Pesche's piercing chair and tried not to laugh as the man looked at her dumbfounded. It was hard because he was standing there gaping like a fish out of water. Once they were in his room with the door close, she kind of dropped a bombshell of a question on him. “So? Can you help me?”

 

“I-I-I don't know, honestly. I mean is there someone I need to call to get permission? Did you tell anyone that you were planning on doing this? I don't want to get in trouble. I mean I c-ca-can certainly do it,” Pesche said. “I was thinking maybe you wanted to learn how to do this or maybe you wanted an ear piercing.”

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

“No, it's okay. Nipples. Woo! Okay, well, um, well.”

 

“If you don't feel comfortable about this, I could find some other place to do it. It's not a big deal Pesche,” Orihime said, trying to ease the man's discomfort.

 

“NO! No. If you go anywhere else, I would be offended, and I think Nel would get mad because you're practically family and if you went to someone else that would mean you don't trust us!” Pesche rambled. “I can do it. I have full confidence in myself that I can. We just need to fill out some paperwork. I usually use twelve gauge straight barbells for the initial piercing but sometimes smaller due to a person's anatomy and aesthetics reasons. It'll take about six months to heal, and after that, you can change the jewelry.”

 

Orihime nodded. She knew what was involved in both tattoos and piercing protocol. She had heard everyone in the shop describe the aftercare instructions many times. She reached into her purse and grabbed the identification that she would need. She handed that to Pesche as he gave her a clipboard with two pieces of paper on it. It was a consent form and another information form that was required. Her face burned as she wrote nipple piercing in the space where it said the type of piercing.

 

Pesche took the clipboard and then disappeared from the room. Orihime knew he was putting the papers into the tray with his name on it. They were collected by Nel at the end of the day and then all the information was scanned into their client database.

 

When he came back, he put a sign on the door that indicated he was with a customer. Pesche then applied hand sanitizer to his hands before prepping what he would need. He pulled the sealed packets with sanitized needles and jewelry out of little drawers. “Okay, little lady, let's see what we're working with. You're going to want to remove your bra and shirt. Then I'll show you the options I have.”

 

Orihime's face became redder as she took off her shirt and bra. At least Pesche had enough decency to turn away to sort something out over on his supplies table. He put on a pair of black gloves and turned to her when he had what he used for piercings on his paper towel-lined metal tray. He sat on his stool and turned around.

 

His face was priceless. She saw his blue eyes go wide and his mouth formed an “O.” “Oooookay. Wow, Okay. Um. Well. Hmmm. I-I-I can see they're about perfect. They're nice. I mean, never mind what I meant. I'm gonna shut up now.  Did you want to do both or just one?”

 

“One for right now,” she answered.

 

“Which one? Right or left?”

 

She thought for a moment as she thought about it. Unless she was going to do both nipples she had to pick a side. It felt like she had to pick a man. Ulquiorra's tattoos dominated the left side of his body. Grimmjow's were on the right side. “Which one do you think?” she asked looking down at her chest. Orihime didn't really notice Pesche blush and flounder more.

 

“I don't know. Um, uncross your legs and sit up straight. Look at me.” The man held up one of the packets containing a piece of jewelry and held it up to both nipples which were already peaking out. “ Are you left or right-handed? If you're right handed then your arm is going to rub against it. I'd go with the left though. To my eye, it's more pleasing.”

 

Orihime bit her lip to think about this. She didn't know that there was this much thought put into piercings. She nodded, “I'm right-handed, so the left then.”

 

Watching what Pesche did, Orihime cringed as he swiped a cleansing wipe over the skin. It was cold against her. He picked up a marker and put two dots at the base of her nipple that now stood straight out. He sounded nervous when he told her the next part. “I'm going to touch your chest; I've got to spread the nipple out to see how wide it gets when not erect. I've got gloves on, so everything is sterile.”

 

Pesche was professional as he did what he said he was going to do. He took the wipe and cleaned the dots off her skin before making new ones. The outside dot was slightly higher than the other side. She asked him about it. “Oh, it's just a look thing. If I placed it truly horizontal then it kind of looks droopy. Doing it like this frames the area. It's more pleasing to the eye.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“You happy with that?” When Orihime nodded, he stood up. “We're going to learn how to breathe now. I'm gonna need you to take a deep breath and hold it until I tell you to push it out as hard as you can. Okay, deep breath, as much as you can! Hold it. Now push it out as fast and hard, as you can. If you run out of breath take a quick breath and keep pushing.”

 

She had to do this three times before Pesche was happy with it. He laid the chair back, so Orihime was lying down. “Don't want you to fall over if you would pass out. I'm gonna put a clamp on your nipple. It's going to pinch it, and it'll be uncomfortable. I'll tell you to take the breath, and then I'll count to three. When I hit three, go ahead and push that air out. Any questions?”

 

“No.”

 

“You doing okay?”

 

“Yeah, I just want to get this done. I'm cold.”

 

The man nodded. He showed Orihime the needle he would be using and the jewelry, telling her it was titanium. He opened both packages and applied the clamp. It hurt. It was painful.

 

“Deep breath in and one, two, three! PUSH!”

 

Orihime blew as hard as she could, but it didn't lessen the pain. If it could be rated from one to ten, it was definitely up there in the sevens, even eights. She didn't feel so emotionally broken though. Her body felt like it had released years of tension. It was a sharp stab, intense pain; she felt a little tug and then pressure on her nipple. Pesche had taped a bandage over top of the piercing.

 

“You're done?” she asked confused. “That was over quick.”

 

“It doesn't take long to pierce things when you've been doing it for as long as I have. The part that takes the most time is set up and discussing what the person wants. I have to think of a bunch of stuff before I prepare and execute. Okay, so this is how you take care of your new friend. That bra is gonna have to stay gone for a bit...”

 

When Orihime opened the door a few minutes later, she expected Nel to be standing there. What she didn't expect were the two men standing beside her. All three of them had their arms folded over their chests. They stared at her with various looks.

 

Nel was mad. Grimmjow frowned. Ulquiorra had an eyebrow raised and a slight smirk on his mouth. She blinked at the several times. “Hi, is there a reason why you guys are blocking the hallway?”

 

“What were you thinking?” Nel asked.

 

Orihime was going to reply, but Pesche came to her rescue. He moved into the hallway and started shouting at them. “Hey! Move! My customer needs to pay for services rendered! If you guys want to gawk at it, do it on your own time!”

 

* * *

 

He felt guilty. Ulquiorra felt so guilty about what Orihime did that he paid for the piercing. Nel and Grimmjow had glared at him while he did so. He said nothing as they all were directed to Nel's office. He couldn't help notice Orihime's breast bounced with every step she took. She didn't have a bra on to minimize the movement.

 

Ulquiorra swallowed. He had to calm himself or else he would end up horny. He and Grimmjow had agreed that they both were in the wrong about the redheaded woman and that they would keep their distance from her until they were moved into the house. If she approached them, that was a different story. They would give in to _anything_ she wanted, no questions asked.

 

Nel sat in her chair behind the desk. Grimmjow leaned against the corner of it. He took a chair, and Orihime sat down in the other chair. The silence was stifling. A smart-ass remark was on the tip of his tongue, but there was no way he was going to say anything.

 

“Orihime,” Nel said.

 

“Nel, shut up. Remember that whole thing about it's her life, and she's free to do whatever?” Ulquiorra blurted out. “This is one of those things where saying that kind of stuff bites you in the ass. She wanted something done. It's done. It's paid for. It's over.”

 

He watched Nel open and close her mouth several times trying to find an argument to this statement. She couldn't formulate one; she crossed her arms over her chest again. “Hmph.”

 

Grimmjow sighed. “Is anyone else curious about it? I mean we get a call saying that Orihime is having Pesche pierce her and no one is even remotely curious?”

 

“Rangiku has a big mouth and never should have called anyone. She's not supposed to look at the paperwork,” Ulquiorra said. “She doesn't have to show us just because we want to see.”

 

“Tch.”

 

The redhead said nothing. She looked at her lap and blushed. Ulquiorra sighed. It was his fault for putting the idea into her head. He told her that she should get a piercing. Well, she did. He opened his mouth to say something, but Nel beat him to the punch.

 

“I want to know why she did it,” the teal haired woman said. “I don't want to see it. I want to know why.”

 

The redhead shrugged, “I wanted to feel pain. I wanted to feel physical pain because I'm tired of the emotional pain. Whenever any of you go through a stressful time, you show up with a new tattoo. None of you know what it's like to go through what I did.”

 

“This is why you're the fucking princess,” Grimmjow muttered. He looked angry, and his voice became louder as he spoke. “You think no one knows how you feel. What about Nel? You don't think she went through the same loss as you did? Her guy actually died. Ulquiorra's still alive. You think you're the only woman out there—”

 

“Grimm,” Nel said. Ulquiorra watched as the woman shook her head. Grimmjow immediately shut his mouth.

 

“I think what Orihime is saying is that we don't know what it's like. Me and that asshole. None of us can imagine what a miscarriage feels like, at least not to my knowledge,” Ulquiorra said. Nel shook her head. “Is that what you mean?”

 

The redhead sighed. “Can I go? You talk about me like I'm not around! I'm tired of it. It's my life, and none of you have a say in it! If I want to get my body pierced, it's none of your business. Nothing I do has an impact on any of you.”

 

With that Ulquiorra watched as the redhead stood and left the office. Three pairs of eyes watched the camera feeds to see her leaving the building.

 

* * *

 

One week passed by and Orihime wouldn't talk to any of them. She only answered if it was work related subject but other than that she was mum. She meant what she said, whatever she did with her life was of no concern to them. Then as the week wore on, she realized that she hadn't meant that. It was the anger talking, but she was really tired of them treating her like a child.

 

The strange thing was, she was sure that someone would bother her. In the past, the three of them wouldn't leave her alone but this time, they had. No one pressed her for what was wrong. No one badgered her. No one harassed her. It'd been nothing but silence from Nel, Ulquiorra, and Grimmjow.

 

Another week passed by, and still, they all left her alone. The only interaction with any of them was with Ulquiorra. He walked her home one night when they worked the same day. They didn't talk. It was nice that she could be herself around him. She wasn't expected to be a ray of sunshine.

 

The only thing the man had said to her was, “We miss you, Orihime. I hope you can forgive us.”

 

He disappeared into his apartment after that, leaving her standing in front of her own door with a frown on her face.

 

* * *

 

“Nel?”

 

Nel looked at the alarm clock and scowled at the time. She had just been woken up by her phone ringing. “Do you know what time it is? It's like eight in the morning on a Saturday that I'm off!”

 

Ulquiorra's monotone voice came through her phone. “Sorry. We got the house. I just got off the phone with the realty company.”

 

“What?”

 

“We got the house. The realty company called me this morning and told me the news.”

 

“We did? Grimm!” Nel shouted. She could hear him banging around in the kitchen. “Grimm! Come here!”

 

“Ow. You're loud,” Ulquiorra complained through the phone.

 

“Sorry.”

 

Grimmjow came skidding into the bedroom, looking slightly panicked. “What lady?”

 

“We got the house!”

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra was nervous as he signed the mountain of paperwork with Nel and Grimmjow. There was a lot to do when concerning house buying. He had done some research on it before giving the realtor an offer. Apparently, the property had been sitting on the housing market long enough that they accepted his lower price. What he hadn't told Nel and Grimmjow was that he had offered to pay one-third of the amount from his own account. He had the money. It wasn't like this wouldn't be a valuable asset to have.

 

He silently thanked his parents for the foresight to put money into his savings account from birth so that he could do this. Ulquiorra had enough to pay off the house and still have sufficient funds to live comfortably if he chose to do so but he didn't want to have anyone feel indebted to him.

 

After everything was done, they got into Grimmjow's car and drove to Ulquiorra's apartment building. They had to tell Orihime the excellent news. They made a plan on how to show Orihime that they were sorry for being assholes to her.

 

* * *

 

Orihime was coming out of her apartment. She was taking out her garbage and walked down the stairs. She saw them in the car but was still ignoring them. She was confused as they all piled out of the vehicle and gathered around her. Suddenly, she was in the middle of a group hug.

 

Someone squeezed her too tight, and she felt pain lance through her chest. “ _OWWW_!”

 

 _“Sorry!”_ Nel.

 

 _“Shit, I forgot_!” Grimmjow.

 

“ _Are you okay_?” Ulquiorra.

 

“What the heck was that for? Are you guys just going around randomly hugging people?” Orihime said as she shrank away from them. She couldn't help see that they all were smiling. “What the hell is wrong with you three?”

 

It was Ulquiorra who produced a set of keys and dangled them in front of her. “Want to go pick out your new room?”

 

Now, she was baffled. What did he mean by that? “Um, I'm not following?”

 

“Princess, we're going to be moving. The house. Remember?” Grimmjow asked. He smiled at her. For some reason. It made her feel warm inside. He looked happy. “C'mon!”

 

“Dollface, you're still coming with us right?” Nel said as she placed an arm around Orihime's shoulders. This made the redhead blush slightly. “Please, forgive us for being idiots. We're only trying to protect you from this evil world.”

 

Ulquiorra said nothing but gave a tiny shrug and a slight smirk as if to say, “See?”. Orihime couldn't help it, but she blushed more. She suddenly realized she missed these three people over the past couple of weeks.

 

“You guys are assholes,” she said before she grabbed the keys from the dark-haired man's hand. “Let's go.”

 

“Hey, before we go, can you show us?” Grimmjow asked. This prompted three people to punch him in the arm. “Ow.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Engine Room - A Perfect Lie  
> Bush - Cold Contagious  
> Counting Crows - Colorblind  
> No Doubt - It's My Life  
> Placebo - Evalia  
> David Bowie – As The World Falls Down


	21. Like a Virgin!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're moving in! Fighting and snarking. Grimmjow bites off more than he can chew when he confronts Ulquiorra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> Alludes to boy!sex and an attempt at a threesome.
> 
> Also If anyone's curious about their house layout, I'll post a link to it.

Ulquiorra had the smallest private room in the house, and that's because he wanted it. If he turned right from the front door then straight, he'd run into the room. It was at the end of the entrance hall and next to what would become the second bathroom. It had enough room for his drawing desk, dresser, and bookshelf. He would also put his futon in the alcove the room had. It was long enough to house the mattress if it was doubled over. He needed something to sit on if he wanted to read in peace.

 

Orihime had requested one of the smaller tatami rooms that were at the other end of the entrance hall, right next to the dining room. She liked it because of how bright it was. She said it would be a perfect place to study at once university started in the next week.

 

Nel had another one of the tatami rooms down the hall from him. If he turned right from his room and walked past the laundry room, then turned left, there was her room. Closets almost surrounded it on two sides and windows on the other two walls. You had to walk through two rice paper screen doors to go into her space.

 

Grimmjow had claimed the room beside Nel's. He said the light bamboo floor and the multitude of windows suited him just right. Ulquiorra had given a snort of laughter at this.

 

The other end of the house held a room for entertaining at the very end of the hall. It was where Grimmjow was planning on putting the television, couch, leather chair and shelves of DVDs that he and Nel had amassed over the years. The room next to that would be their sleeping area. The bathroom was across the hall from the bedroom. They all counted the closets in the house; there were fifteen in the house. Then there was the kitchen and dining area with a tatami area in the middle of the room.

 

Ulquiorra found Grimmjow and Nel in that room arguing. Orihime was at school.

 

“I don't like this space right in the middle of the room,” Nel said.

 

“Nel, do you know how much this flooring costs? I'm not going to rip it out. It will take the value of the house down,” Grimmjow replied. “I know you want me to update the kitchen, but all I'm going to do is add more counter space and cabinets. The floor is in perfectly good condition. The bamboo is in excellent condition.”

 

“Why can't you just take this wall out to make the kitchen bigger?” she whined.

 

“Woman, it's a support wall. If I take it out the house will collapse. You need to quit watching those damn home improvement shows from America,” he said.

 

“Are you two busy?” Ulquiorra asked as he leaned against the wall.

 

“Nah, I was explaining construction to Nel,” Grimmjow said. “She wants to get rid of this tatami and knock out a wall.”

 

“I heard,” the dark haired man said. “The moving truck is here. This truck has my apartment in it. They said Orihime's stuff should be here soon. When is the truck with your stuff coming?”

 

“They said it would be this afternoon. Why?”

 

“I was wondering. Logistics, you know? Do you want to help carry this stuff in?”

 

* * *

 

“The bed doesn't fit.”

 

Grimmjow was irate that the bed would not go into the designated room. It had barely fit inside the hallway of the house. The truck hauling Nel and his stuff had been late, which meant he couldn't pick Orihime up from the train station on time. Then he found out that the movers had just left the bed frame outside and now it wouldn't fit inside their room.

 

“What's the path of least resistance?” Ulquiorra asked from the other side of the bed frame. “You're angry. Let's just get this done so that we can eat then get some sleep. It's been a long damn day.”

 

“The path of least resistance? What do you mean? Like what would be easier?” Grimmjow asked, clearly annoyed. “I don't know. I could take the bed apart. It's just two frames screwed together. I could just force it through and fuck up the door.”

 

“Don't fuck up the house. We'd have to pay for the repairs,” Ulquiorra stated. “We're homeowners.”

 

This made Grimmjow even angrier which made him set his mouth in a straight line. He watched Ulquiorra disappear into the bedroom. He knew the man was going through a second door in the bedroom.

 

Ulquiorra appeared in the kitchen doorway. “Where are your tools?”

 

“My room.”

 

“Why don't you go get them,” the dark haired man said.

 

“Because,” the blue-haired man said, gritting his teeth. “I'm pissed off, man. I just wanted this to be done so that I could eat, then me and my harem could go to bed.”

 

“Harem? Is that what you call us?”

 

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow. “What the hell should I call you?”

 

“I just think harem is a bit much,” Ulquiorra said as he walked down the hall towards Grimmjow's room. “You've only got two women.”

 

“I've got three bitches, which includes you, Cifer,” Grimmjow retorted at the man's retreating form. Ulquiorra showed him a rude gesture before disappearing around the corner. “Kiss my ass, Ulquiorra.”

 

It was Nel who returned with the bag of tools. “What'd you do to him?” she asked, setting the heavy object on the floor.

 

“I called him a bitch,” Grimmjow said in a petulant tone. “I'm tired. I'm hungry. I've been moving shit all day. Why does Orihime have so much stuff? Why do we have so much stuff? The only person whose stuff I approved of today was Ulquiorra's. A couple of pieces of furniture and a couple of boxes. I don't even know why he rented a truck for his shit. I could have hauled most of it.”

 

“My king, shut up. Take the bed apart and then put it together in the bedroom. I'll be going out to get food soon. Do you want me to get pizza or something else?” Nel asked as she pushed her body against Grimmjow's.

 

He appreciated the effort, but he wasn't in the mood at the moment. “I don't know. What did Orihime and fuckface want?”

 

“I didn't ask them.”

 

“Where are they anyway?”

 

“Oh, I don't know. I think they're both in my room,” Nel replied.

 

Grimmjow looked at her in disbelief. “You left them alone?”

 

He watched Nel roll her eyes. “We're in the house. When I came up here, she was looking through a photo album I had unpacked. I'll go back and babysit them. Get the bed taken care of.”

 

* * *

 

Nel took Orihime with her, and they came back with pizza and some alcohol. She only bought the beer because she thought Grimmjow deserved it. Nel set the stuff on the counter and then went into the bedroom. No one was in there although the bed was put together. She looked at Orihime who shrugged. The redhead opened the door to the entertainment room and quickly closed it.

 

“What?” Nel asked as the girl turned tomato red.

 

“They're in there,” she whispered.

 

“What are they doing?”

  
  
If Orihime was blushing it probably meant that Grimmjow was having his fun with Ulquiorra; the young woman still wasn't used to the idea of Grimmjow and Ulquiorra together. She rolled her eyes and reached around the redhead to open the door again. Even Nel's eyes went wide as she watched the two men.

 

Both men had their shirts off and were still wearing jeans. The shocking thing was that Grimmjow was practically on top of the smaller man and rutting against him. He had his face buried in the pale man's neck. Ulquiorra, who was on all fours on the couch, had his face buried in the leather cushion of the sofa.

 

She could hear the moans of both men. She could hear the words Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were saying to each other. None of it was repeatable in polite company. Nel quietly closed the door and shrugged at Orihime. “I guess they're busy,” she told the other woman.

 

“You're okay with them doing that?” Orihime asked with a huff. Nel watched the redhead open the door and go into the room. “Are you two done?”

 

The teal-haired woman looked into the room just in time to see Ulquiorra twist his body around and kick Grimmjow off of him. She saw her boyfriend fall to the floor and then glared up at them. It was a comical sight, but there was no way that Nel was going to laugh, especially when he looked that mad.

 

“What the hell, Princess?” Grimmjow shouted. Nel could see he was highly aroused judging by the outline in his jeans.

 

“We have food,” Orihime snapped at him. “You two were supposed to be unpacking! What have you been doing instead? Fooling around?”

 

Nel said nothing as Grimmjow stood up. “Are you jealous, Princess? Hmmm?”

 

“No,” she said crossing her arms over her chest. Nel noticed she did this very carefully. “I just think you should be taking care of more important things while we were gone.”

 

“Nel said to get the bed together then do whatever. That's what I did,” he replied. Grimmjow stepped closer to the redhead. “I got the bed put back together; then I was in the process of trying to do whatever.”

 

“You're an ass, Grimmjow,” came the statement from Ulquiorra who was still laying on the couch. She could see he was also turned on.

 

That made Nel laugh.

 

* * *

 

After they ate and complained about not having a real dining table, the four of them decided to take turns in the only bathroom in the house. Grimmjow made nasty comments about the fact that if they'd pick the other house, they'd have two bathrooms already.

 

Once everyone was done, the four of them went into the bedroom where a fight ensued. Ulquiorra moved to where Orihime was standing and hugged her from behind. The redhead had turned around in his arms, and he kissed her once. That's all that happened, and then the blue-haired man had walked in acting like he'd caught them doing something.

 

Grimmjow also had to open his stupid mouth about their sleeping arrangements. “I want to sleep by her,” he told Ulquiorra.

 

“You're the first to complain, go find a futon to curl up on,” he replied.

 

“What? Who made that rule?”

 

“Ulquiorra did,” Orihime said. “He said the first person to complain had to go sleep on a futon.”

 

Nel sighed, “I knew this wasn't going to be easy. Maybe we should all just retire to our own rooms for tonight. Then we can go sneaking around, slipping in each other's beds when we think another person isn't looking.”

 

“Or, you all can fuck off.”

 

“Okay, how about this,” Nel said, pinching the bridge of her nose. Ulquiorra wondered how the woman had survived this long living with the man and not killed him yet. “It'll go like this; me, Grimm, Orihime and then Ulquiorra. Each night we can rotate or whoever wants to can sleep in their room.”

 

“How about—”

 

“Grimm, we're all tired. We all want to go to sleep. Just shut up.”

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra was almost asleep when he felt Orihime wiggle against him. In the back of his mind, he figured she was trying to get comfortable but what she was doing was too slow and sensual for that. He felt her hands on him, positioning him. He wanted to roll over but what she was doing felt really good.

 

It was probably the effects of his earlier sexual frustration that Grimmjow had put him through.

 

All he had done was made a sarcastic remark to the man after they had put the bed back together. He found himself with his chest against the wall and Grimmjow's mouth on his neck. His shirt came off, and Grimmjow was grinding against him. He had manhandled Ulquiorra to the leather couch.

 

It had been hot, and the sensation felt strangely good. He wasn't a fool, Grimmjow had only been doing the activity for his own pleasure. Once Orihime had said something, he found his opportunity to break free of the bigger man. He hadn't meant to kick him that hard.

 

He stretched and rolled over onto his back. The woman's hands followed him. He could feel her touching his body. Ulquiorra opened his sleepy eyes to see Orihime's face inches away from his. Her mouth was moving. Was she whispering? Was she talking to him?

 

His eyes closed again. He was dreaming. He could vaguely hear a deep voice saying something. Was Grimmjow still awake? He listened to the sound again and felt the bed shift and bodies move. This time his eyes opened fully. He lifted his head, and in the darkness, his eyes saw Orihime on all fours with Grimmjow behind her. They both were naked. He was wide awake now.

 

Ulquiorra sat up and grabbed his pillow. He could hear Orihime protesting as he left the bedroom. He stalked down the hall to his own room, closing the door behind him. He turned on his drawing desk lamp and threw the pillow on the futon. He didn't go back to sleep. He sat down in his chair and glared at his groin. He felt betrayed by his own body for responding to her. He didn't understand what had happened. He was angry also that Grimmjow had the audacity to have sex with her right next to him. Hadn't she been touching him though?

 

It was jealousy. It was just jealousy.

 

He and Grimmjow had an agreement. He couldn't be mad. They were in the house. Ulquiorra sighed. He hated feeling like this. He hated feeling like Grimmjow was trying to take Orihime away from him. Ulquiorra was about to stand up when there was a knock at the door.  


“I know you're awake,” Grimmjow said. “I can see the light under your door.”

 

“What?” Ulquiorra said. Now, his mood was worse.

 

“Can I come in?”

 

“Why? Go back to bed,” he stated then sighed. Why had he thought this was a good idea? There was no way he could live with other people. People, in general, annoyed him to no end. Ulquiorra bristled with anger as his door swung open. He turned towards the door and said, “I didn't say you could open my door. I didn't say you could come in.”

 

Grimmjow leaned against the frame and crossed his arms over his chest. He had on sweatpants and Ulquiorra could see he was still hard. “What's the deal, man? We tried waking you up. She wanted—”

 

“I don't want to hear it. I just wanted to sleep,” Ulquiorra explained. “Go do whatever with her, I'm tired and am just going to sleep in here.”

 

“Nah. She locked herself in her room,” Grimmjow said. “I wasn't doing anything to her yet.”

 

He tried hard not to scoff, but it came out. “That's nice, I'm happy for you,” came the words dripping with sarcasm.

 

“Fine, I see this is how you're gonna be,” Grimmjow said and pushed off the frame. He walked towards Ulquiorra. The man with dark hair glared hard at him.

 

He was expecting Grimmjow to do something violent to him. Instead, the man leaned down and kissed him gently on the mouth. “Come back to bed,” the blue-haired man whispered.

 

“No, you just want to use me.”

 

“We can use each other, Ulquiorra.”

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow woke up the early next morning. He didn't really know where he was and he felt someone on top of him. He lifted his head to see black hair and scowled. He was in Ulquiorra's room. He let his head drop against the futon mattress with a sigh.

 

He shook his head as he remembered what happened last night. He couldn't believe it. He had just planned on getting head from the man who was laying on top of him. He'd been stunned when Ulquiorra's tongue—No, he wasn't going to think about it. He had done the same thing to Ulquiorra weeks ago. Rimming wasn't that big of a deal.

 

He had never expected it to go as far as it did. He couldn't think of any way to put it tactfully though. Grimmjow's ass was sore. Ulquiorra had been gentle and told him that he was experimenting with him. The blue-haired man wanted it though. He was sure that he was a sight as the dark-haired man prepared him for what was going to happen. Grimmjow had his legs spread wide, and knees were drawn up to his chest. Ulquiorra had taken his time, and when he entered Grimmjow, it felt weird but soon the taller man was moaning and enjoying himself.

 

Grimmjow's face became red as images of last night rolled through his head. Their bodies were fitting together. The touches. The climax of their efforts. He turned his body and dumped Ulquiorra on to the mattress. He sat up as the other man woke. He looked down into green eyes.

 

“I told you to leave me alone and go back to bed,” Ulquiorra stated in a soft tone, not looking away. “You wanted to press the issue. Did I hurt you?”

 

He looked away from the other man's stare. “You know, I think it probably would have been better if you had.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many questions! Since Grimmjow is the Sexta Espada and Ulquiorra is the Cuatro Espada that makes little old Ulqui the top here. Grimmjow's the bitch.
> 
> White Stripes - Seven Nation Army  
> Placebo - Commercial for Levi  
> In This Moment - Whore  
> Sneaker Pimps - Spin Spin Sugar  
> Panic at the Disco - I Write Sins, Not Tragedies  
> Katy Perry - Wide Awake  
> Poets of the Fall - Carnival of Rust  
> Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams  
> Placebo - I'll Be Yours  
> Rihanna - Rude Boy  
> Dixie Chicks - Not Ready to Make Nice  
> N*Sync – Digital Get Down


	22. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orihime walks in on Nel and Grimmjow getting down and decides it might be time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> This chapter includes... facesitting, masturbation, and rimming.
> 
> Gods, Ulquiorra! You're such a whore, man!

Orihime could sense there was tension between Grimmjow and Ulquiorra. It all stemmed from the first night in the house. She had gotten a text message from Grimmjow earlier that day which explained in detail how he was going to have his way with her that night. The blue-haired man had wanted to take her, but she had other ideas. Ulquiorra wouldn't wake up though. His body responded; she tried everything that she could think of to rouse him from sleep.

 

After Ulquiorra left the bed, Orihime had grabbed her pajamas and went to her own room. Grimmjow knocked on the door, asking if she was okay. She didn't say anything. She lay on her futon and listened to the quiet. She couldn't get to sleep right away although she was tired. She heard the faint moans and groans coming from down the hallway. The boys must be having fun, she thought to herself before closing her eyes.

 

In the week that had passed, she made sure to sleep in her room every night. Grimmjow had begged her to join him in the bedroom. Ulquiorra and Nel said nothing. Why had Ulquiorra left the bedroom? Didn't he realize what was going to happen? 

 

She now sat at her desk which faced the back garden. She could see Grimmjow crouched down and dug in the dirt. Yesterday, she watched him pruned a small cherry tree. It would look beautiful next spring. He was planting things and cleaning up the area. Nel was planning on having a housewarming party soon, maybe once summer came. The teal haired woman wanted everything to be perfect. Grimmjow had complained because he would only have a couple of months to work on the bathroom project and kitchen remodel. The second day they were in the house he'd torn out the entire kitchen. Nel had gotten mad at him for it.

 

She looked back down to the book that was open on her desk. She was too distracted to study, so she flipped the volume shut. Orihime had finally decided on a becoming an elementary teacher. Everyone approved of that choice, telling her she'd make an excellent teacher. She wasn't so sure.

 

Teachers probably didn't want threesomes with the people they lived with. Teachers didn't want the things she wanted. Teachers probably didn't have their nipples pierced.

 

She went back to Pesche and requested that he pierce the other nipple. Orihime noticed that having just one done made her look lopsided. The man had walked her through the steps again, and twenty minutes later she had left with a new piece of jewelry. He even commented that the left one was healing nicely.

 

It was healing that way because she didn't let anyone see or touch it. Only Ulquiorra knew that she had it done. He was looking after the front of the shop while it happened. She couldn't help notice the way he stared at her breasts when she returned. He gave her a hungry glance before he returned to his own tattooing area.

 

She knew what he wanted. She wanted it too but... There were still rules to follow.

 

It came as no surprise once they arrived home that night and entered the house, Ulquiorra had her up against the wall. She winced then gently pushed him away and shook her head.

 

“When?” he asked. She could hear the velvet tone of his voice against her ear.

 

Orihime brushed his hair out of his face. It was getting longer and longer. “Soon,” she replied then smiled at him. “You need a haircut.”

 

Orihime wanted to say that she did not influence anyone in the house. Ulquiorra showed up to work the next day with his haircut and layered. Instead of falling down his back in a black wave, it came a little past his shoulders. She wanted to say that her presence affected no one. Grimmjow was getting bitchy at everyone for something. She asked him to calm down and stop fighting with everyone. He had done so and even apologized to them. She wanted to say that she wouldn't be missed if she decided just to leave. Nel actually hugged her after coming home from work one day, saying she missed the redhead since she didn't work as much.

 

It was nice to feel wanted.

 

* * *

 

They lived in the house for an entire month. One month and something big happened.

 

Nel was perched above Grimmjow's face who apparently was doing something sexual to the other woman when Orihime walked in with a small basket of folded sheets. All her eyes could see was Grimmjow's hand pleasuring himself and Nel rocking against the man's face. She gasped and dropped the basket. Immediately, her face was the color of crimson.

 

“I'm sorry,” she exclaimed, turning away from the couple. “I'm so sorry! I was just bringing these sheets in here.”

  
  
“It's okay,” Nel said, somewhat breathless. “You can look, Orihime. You can join us if you want. Hhhnnngggg. Fuck, Grimm, do that again!”

 

Orihime became redder, and she shook her head. She left the room, closing the door behind her. She felt a sensation in between her legs. It was similar to the one time Ulquiorra had told her all the things he liked to do her sexually. She needed him right now.

  
  
She passed by her room door and walked down the hall. Without knocking, she opened the door. He turned in his stool and looked at her. The door was shut behind her. Immediately, she stripped off the shirt she was wearing and then the rest of her clothing. She stood naked in front of him. She watched as his eyes went wide and he looked at her in confusion.

 

“What is this?” he asked in a wary tone.

 

“I'm ready.”

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra's eyes traveled over her body. He started at her feet with pink toenails. They moved up her legs and then her thighs. His breath quickened as he got to her full hips. He bit his bottom lip and then let his eyes drift upwards to her stomach and her breasts. He had to swallow as he saw her tits with the two barbells sticking through the nipples.

 

He had to suppress a moan. They looked absolutely perfect. Ulquiorra would give Pesche his compliments the next time he saw the man.

  
  
He motioned for her to come closer to him as his gaze arrived on her face. She stood in front of him. Sitting on the stool put him at her eye level. He reached for her and kissed her deeply letting his tongue lick her bottom lip before sliding against hers. His fingers touched her neck and shoulders. They moved further down until he gently cupped her breasts. He let the pad of a thumb delicately touch the left nipple.

 

She gasped and arched into his hand. Ulquiorra felt a sudden craving for this woman's body that he did not think he could quench. He wanted her completely. His mouth moved from her lips to her neck, licking and sucking at the skin. He didn't bite her; he didn't want to cause her any pain.

 

Once his mouth reached the middle of her chest, he looked up at her. Ulquiorra knew that the right one would be off limits since it had been less than a month since she had it done. The left one, however, he wasn't too sure about.

 

Orihime moaned loudly as he softly pressed his lips to the left nipple. His tongue flicked the peaked bundle of skin which caused her to tremble. Ulquiorra grinned before he pushed her back and stood. He locked his door.

 

“Go lay down. I need to get a couple of things,” he said to her. His eyes followed her as she turned around and moved to the mattress on the floor. Ulquiorra couldn't believe how perfect she was. His throat suddenly felt restricted with emotion. He couldn't let heartfelt things distract him. At least not right now. He needed to keep a clear head in order to do this right.

 

He went over to his dresser and pulled open the top drawer. He extracted a condom and a tube of lubricant. He thought back to what had happened with Grimmjow in this room. He would do the same things to her as he had done to the other man. The addition of the nipple ring would serve to heighten her pleasure.

 

Turning around with the two items in his hands, he quickly undressed before joining the redhead on the futon. He kissed her slowly, making sure that he took his time teasing her nipple with his fingers. By the time he ended the kiss, she was squirming. He could see how aroused she was. He would drive her crazy by the time he was done with her.

 

His mouth moved to the nipple again, licking the skin around it. Yet, he had to praise Pesche for making it seem like the silver barbells were enhancements to her breasts. They were placed perfectly. Ulquiorra had to hold back from biting them. He desperately wanted to bury his face in between her tits and wondered why he hadn't thought to do so before.

 

There would be time for that when the piercings were healed.

 

Fingers moved down her stomach and over her lower abdomen. He gently petted the lips of her pussy with his entire hand, squeezing them together and rubbing them in a circular motion. She moaned and grabbed a handful of his hair; she pulled on it.

 

Groaning from the elated sensation of pain, Ulquiorra nipped her stomach then gave a low growl. Typically, he would have slipped a finger inside Orihime and finger fucked her before adding another and making her come. That wasn't his plan.

 

Lifting one leg and bringing toward her chest then the other, he said, “Hold these and do not let them drop.”

 

He moved lower down on the futon to see she was already wet. His fingers moved past her vagina, lower to her ass. He heard the hitch in her breathing, but it sped up once he ran a finger over her bottom. She cried out as his finger teased the opening, circling around the skin.

 

Ulquiorra bit his lip before he started kissing her nether lips, separating the wet folds of her with his tongue. Taking his time with this, he lapped and licked until she was shaking and whimpering. He grabbed the container of lubricant and made sure he had enough.

 

“Ulqui—Oh,” she sighed. He smiled against her skin as her words reached his ears. “Oh god, do that again. Yes-yes-yes.”

 

In addition to his mouth and tongue servicing her body, his hands were teasing both of her openings. He had two fingers inside of her, slowly moving in and out. The other set of fingers had the slippery substance on them and was just touching her ass. He would occasionally rub the surface slowly or shallowly dip a finger in. This made her cry out and beg him to do it again.

 

His mouth would switch places with the fingers buried in her slit. Ulquiorra had to wonder what she would do if he used his mouth on her like he had done with Grimmjow. He decided to try it.

 

She whined when he pulled himself from her body.

 

“Shhh,” he murmured in a calm voice. “Turn over, Woman. On your knees, bring them up as far as you can. I want your head as low as it can go.”

 

“Are you—”

 

“No, we still have ways to go for that,” he replied. “I'm going to do something to you that I think you will enjoy. If you don't enjoy it, just tell me, and I will stop. You know that; at any time you are uncomfortable with what I am doing to you, all you have to do is say something.”

 

Orihime nodded then did as he asked. He now had her face down and ass up. He could see the slight discomfort on her face, and he realized that her nipples were probably highly sensitive. Ulquiorra grabbed a pillow from the pile by the wall and offered it to her. She took it and put it under her chest, sighing as she did so.

 

His fingers ran over the smooth skin of her bottom, and he squeezed the flesh, watching as it turned pink. He had to restrain himself from spanking her once or twice. She didn't deserve to be punished for anything. She followed orders in his domain correctly.

 

He did bite her ass cheek. She moaned, but the sound was muffled because she grabbed a second pillow to bury her face in. He started at the base of her spine and went lower, trailing kisses until he reached his goal.

 

* * *

 

Orihime's body jerked as she felt his mouth where it was. His hands came up to grab her hips. She felt his tongue wet the surface and slowly trace the area. She had to shove her face deeper into the pillow to keep from screaming out. The skin was already sensitive due to his caresses. Instantly, her body felt hot, and she squirmed as his mouth repeated the journey several times.

 

She bit the pillow and heard the material tear. Orihime wasn't in distress. She was aroused and didn't want to alert this side of the city of what was going on in the room. Her chest heaving and every time she took a breath, her nipples touched the pillow which sent shocks of pain and bliss through her. Her body shivered as she thought about Ulquiorra's mouth on that one nipple. It'd been heaven and hell at the same time.

 

His fingers were trailing up her thighs. She let out a moan as she felt two of those cool digits inside her again while his thumb was circling her clit. She raised her head and said, “Ulquiorra, I'm going to—”

 

“What was that, Woman?”

 

She cried out as she felt his tongue enter her. The pressure and the sensation were divine. He was fucking her with his tongue. The fingers inside her increased their pace, stroking her harder. Her eyes fluttered shut with ecstasy. It seemed as if a dozen of fingers were touching her. She couldn't hold on and her eyes closed tightly as she moved against Ulquiorra's tongue wanting more and more. 

 

The orgasm was a slow burn. She felt her body trembling as the crest of it hit her. The tension in her body had reached a breaking point, and she could not pull back from that edge. It started as a warm sensation at the junction of her thighs. It spread in waves and intensity quickly. Once the joy ebbed away, she collapsed against the mattress. She sleepily watched Ulquiorra move beside her and kiss her shoulder. She felt his erection against her leg.

 

“What was that?” she asked. Her voice made her sound like she had been drugged. That's how relaxed she felt.

 

He looked over at her with an amused expression. “It's called rimming,” he stated.

 

“You put your mouth—”

 

“Yes,” he said.

 

“That seems gross.”

 

Ulquiorra shrugged. “It was suggested as a preparation for anal sex,” he answered. “People on the internet said to treat it like you would treat oral sex. I know I'm good at that, so it was easy. I could do it again if you weren't satisfied.”

 

“No. No. No,” Orihime said quickly as she rolled onto her side which moved her bottom away from him. “I'm good. I'm more than good. I'm great.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“You're still hard.” Orihime realized she was stating the obvious and she blushed. She probably sounded so stupid.

 

He shrugged again, “If you're content, I'm okay.”

 

She responded by snuggling closer to him and yawned. “I'm just extremely sleepy. Do you remember that time in your apartment—”

 

“You're going to have to be a bit more specific,” he said.

 

“When I agreed to submit to you?”

 

“Mmmm.”

 

“I'm that kind of tired,” she murmured.

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra got Orihime to stand long enough for him to spread the futon out so that they both could sleep on it. He tucked her in, grabbed his towel and then walked towards the bathroom. He stood at the sink, washing his face and then brushing his teeth when Grimmjow appeared in the mirror behind him.

 

He saw the look in the man's eyes. He braced himself for what was coming. Ulquiorra spat the toothpaste into the sink. He then rinsed his toothbrush and the basin. He turned around, wiping his mouth with his towel and looked the man in the eye. “Something you want to say?” he asked.

 

“Nah,” Grimmjow replied, with a blank expression. “How does it look?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Her tit, man. How does it look? Is that nipple ring hot?” the blue-haired man asked. “Can you play with it?”

 

He furrowed his eyebrows. He decided to play this off and act like he didn't know what Grimmjow was talking about. “Why are you under the assumption that I know what it looks like?”

 

“Tch,” the tall man scoffed. “I could hear her screaming from the bedroom. Don't act like I'm stupid. You were fucking her.”

 

“I did not have sex with her. I performed oral sex on her. All that requires is her pants off,” Ulquiorra replied. “Are you done interrogating me?”

 

Grimmjow moved away from the door so that he could pass. “There's no way you're that good at eating pussy that you can make a woman scream like that,” he said.

 

“Grimmjow, my friend,” Ulquiorra quipped as he walked back to his room. “You've experienced my oral skills. You can't say I didn't make you come.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TLC - Red Light Special  
> Chris Brown - Privacy  
> T-Pain - Backseat Action  
> Tank - Fuckin Wit Me  
> Zayn Ft Taylor Swift - I Don't Wanna Live Forever  
> The Weeknd - Earned It  
> Skylar Grey - I Know You  
> Marc E Bassy - Faded  
> Brian Molko & Asia Argento - Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus  
> Fiona Apple - Criminal  
> Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer


	23. It's My Party and I'll Cry if I Want To

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have the housewarming party but it gets crashed by a certain orange haired jerk. Then someone else shows up and Grimmjow feels threatened. Grimmjow finally sees Orihime's enhancements.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> Let's see there's fighting in this chapter; a bit of slightly ooc!Ichigo (but meh, he's a tool anyway); f/f/m threesome; not ulquihime. WARNING ASSHOLE!ICHIGO!

Three weeks later, they had their housewarming party. Alcohol was everywhere. Everyone who there was having a good time. Nel laughed with those she worked with, in the back garden. Grimmjow was talking with his group of friends. Ulquiorra was sitting by himself on a bench by the house. Orihime's face was animated as she spoke with her friends.

 

Even Nel's mother and father were there, and they seemed surprised at the house. Nel explained what had happened. Her mother and father were very loving people who had been married for many years. They didn't understand Nel's new relationships, but they supported her. Anything was better than Nnoitra. She had offered to invite Grimmjow's mom, but he blew her off.

 

Everything was going great.

 

Until the kid with spiky orange hair showed up. Ichigo made a beeline right for Orihime through the garden gate. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away from her group of friends. Nel shook her head at Grimmjow and Ulquiorra, motioning for them to stay where they were. She watched as Orihime disappeared out of the garden. They would stand down unless something happened. It was all good until the yelling started.

 

_“You're a bitch!”_

 

_“How can you take him back?”_

 

_“You're a slut!”_

 

_“How could you forgive him?”_

 

Grimmjow was the first out of the gate, followed by Ulquiorra. She smiled uncomfortably at her guests and excused herself. Nel walked towards the entrance and then broke into a run once she heard Orihime scream.

 

Once Nel arrived at the front of the house, Ulquiorra had his knee on the kid's back while Grimmjow had him by the hair. She could see the kid was getting beat down. He had blood coming from his nose and lip. She stopped short and looked at both men. “Stop! Are you two crazy?” she asked, pushing Ulquiorra and Grimmjow off the boy.

 

“It's his fault. He took a swing at both of us,” Grimmjow said. “I showed him what a man could actually do.”

 

“You two are neanderthals!” she bitched and helped Ichigo off the ground. “Let's just show the neighbors what kind of people we are by beating the crap out of a kid!”

 

“I'm not a fucking kid, lady!” Ichigo spat. “Let me go.”

 

Nel gave him a scowl that told him he was on dangerous ground. She was almost tempted to give him an ass beating when he pointed at Orihime. “We're done, Inoue. When they dispose of you, don't come looking for me.”

 

The teal haired woman watched as the orange haired boy walked away and she saw Orihime's crestfallen face. The redhead disappeared into the house after that, and the other three went back to their guests. Orihime's friends stood around but eventually left.

  
  
Nel was thinking of telling everyone the party was over when she saw a familiar figure step through the gate. He was tall, muscular, and had medium length, black hair which he styled into spikes. It was her father's best friend, Kenpachi Zaraki. She nudged her father, and Dondochakka looked over to where she pointed.

 

“Hey, is this a wake or a party? Why are you all standing around like someone died?” came the booming voice.

 

“Ken!”

 

“Don!”

 

Introductions were made and then suddenly life came back to the people who were in attendance.

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow scowled and tried to make himself seem invisible to the new man who had walked into the garden. Yammy and Starrk could tell he was uncomfortable. Ulquiorra gave him a confused look.

 

“What?” he asked, looking at the dark-haired man.

 

“You're the one who looks like a scolded child,” came the monotone statement. “You still don't like him?”

 

The blue-haired man shook his head. “Mutual distaste for each other. After Nel got hurt... Let's just say, he disapproved of Nel dating Nnoitra. He blames me because I was the person who introduced them to each other. Shit, here he comes.”

 

Kenpachi came up to Grimmjow, shouldering past Yammy. “Grimmjow, you're still around,” the man said.

 

“Yep? How's Yachiru?” Grimmjow replied. He knew it would make the rough looking male bristle with anger. It wasn't his fault what happened with his daughter. That was the other reason Kenpachi didn't like him.

 

Grimmjow flirted with his daughter. The girl had developed this obsessive crush on him. He had taken her out on one or two dates. They always ended up with the girl trying to make a move on him. He had squashed her hopes and dreams, making her cry. She ran to Daddy and Daddy had kicked his ass. When Kenpachi learned that Nel was with Grimmjow, he went to Nel's father and went on this long rant about how Grimmjow was unfit for daughters.

 

Dondochakka had known Grimmjow for years though. The only thing Nel's father didn't like was the fact that Grimmjow didn't warn them about Nnoitra.

 

The taller man grunted and turned to leave, but Grimmjow followed the man's sight. He was going toward Ulquiorra. “Who are you?” Kenpachi asked the smaller man.

 

Grimmjow gave his friend a look. He was trying to tell him not to answer or just ignore the other man. Ulquiorra didn't notice. He looked up at the man with flat eyes. The blue-haired man couldn't see Kenpachi's expression.

 

“You male or female?”

 

“You must have the intelligence of an idiot,” Ulquiorra answered.

 

“Heh, you must be the kid that got shot. Nel should bring you over; we can talk.”

 

Grimmjow watched his friend's jaw clench before the short dark-haired man turned and went inside the house.

 

* * *

 

The party had wound down, and Nel saw the guests off while Grimmjow was cleaning up the trash. He put about fifteen empty bottles of beer in the recycling bin, knowing the women would scream at him if he put them in the garbage. Once everything was cleaned up, he walked into the bathroom to take a shower. After he was done, he moved across the hall to the bedroom. Orihime was sitting with Nel, painting the teal-haired woman's toenails.

 

They looked up at him and smiled. He grinned back then whipped his towel off and let it hit the floor with a wet smack. He opened his top dresser drawer and pulled out a pair of boxers and slid them on his body. He heard whispering behind him.

 

He turned around and saw the women blush. “Looking at something?” he asked. He crawled onto the bed behind Orihime. He lay on his side, his body curled around hers.

 

Nel held out her hand. Grimmjow took it, intertwining his fingers with hers. He gently pulled her towards him.

 

“No! You're going to smudge my nails! I just wanted you to look at them!”

 

“My bad,” Grimmjow said. He let go of her hand and looked at the nails. She wiggled her fingers, and they sparkled like rainbows. “That's interesting. You've completed your transformation into the princess from that board game.”

 

Nel glared at him and then stuck her tongue out.

 

“Watch it, Blondie. I'll put that tongue to use.”

 

“Blondie?” Orihime asked, in confusion. “Nel's hair is that funny color between green and blue... Aqua or teal!”

 

“Nah, no one is born with that color hair,” Grimmjow said and pointed to Nel's head. “She's blonde. She colors her hair like I do. I'm tempted to shave this shit off my head and let my natural hair grow in.”

 

He was blasted by loud protests, “No!” the women shouted.

 

Nel grabbed a lock of her own hair. “He's right; my hair is a pale blonde. I've been dyeing it this color since I was in junior high school. The school had a fit when I walked into the place on the first day with colored hair. I should go to a salon to get my hair done. I just haven't found the time to do it. I've got to run the shop. I've got to babysit people around here.”

 

“You don't have to babysit us,” the man said, pouting. “I dyed my hair first with her help. She copied me.”

  
Nel ignored him. “Orihime, do you want to go to the salon with me? We can get pedicures again!”

 

“I just gave you a pedicure,” the redhead complained. “Ulquiorra got his hair cut. He looks nice.”

 

Grimmjow snorted with laughter. “He looks less like a female from the back now. I don't know if I'd call it looking nice. Do you all actually like messy hair like he has?”

 

“His hair isn't messy. It's styled that way,” Orihime replied. “He actually has really nice hair. It's soft. What about the mop on top of your head? What do you call that?”

 

The male ran his hand through his damp blue locks and flicked water at the redhead who squealed. This caused a scuffle to break out. Nel grabbed the open bottle of nail polish before it could spill. Grimmjow just meant to grab for the tit that wasn't pierced. He didn't know.

 

All movement stopped when Orihime screamed out in pain. Automatically, the man sat up and pulled the woman into his lap. “I'm sorry,” he said. “Did I grab too hard?”

 

The redhead shook her head, tears in her eyes. It was Nel who chimed in. “She got the other one done a couple of weeks ago. You just grabbed it.”

 

Orihime still sounded like she was in a lot of pain. “How did you know?” she croaked.

 

“Paperwork.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Grimmjow's mouth formed a thin line. He spread out his legs to make room for the woman. He pushed Orihime back onto the bed and then grabbed the hem of her t-shirt. She shifted so that her legs were on either side of his hips. “I want to see these. I think I've waited long enough. Can I see them without getting assaulted?”

 

He saw the blush spread across Orihime's face, but she nodded. Grimmjow licked his lips and slowly inched the shirt up her torso. She arched her back to help him slip the shirt over her breasts, and she took it off the rest of the way without his help. “Holy shit,” he breathed. “Nel, you've got—”

 

“No.”

 

“Come on, Baby. Look at this perfection. Give Pesche a raise or something.”

 

“Pesche sets his own prices. Why don't you get yours done?” Nel replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “I told you, if you want me to get something pierced besides my ears, then you've got to get something done. Eye for an eye.”

 

Grimmjow scoffed. A couple of years ago they had this conversation. Nel said he would look hot with his bellybutton pierced. He told her to fuck off. He told her she would look hot with a tongue ring. She had replied with the same thing. They came to an impasse on the subject. But he was seriously rethinking it as he looked at the woman who lay on the bed between his legs. Just looking at her topless was making him hard.

 

He shifted against Orihime. “Can I touch them?”

 

Again, the blush came back, and she nodded. Grimmjow thought she looked damn near delectable. He reached his hand out, gently circling the skin. He bit his lip when the nipple stiffened more. The bed shifted, and he looked up to see Nel getting off the bed.

 

“Hey, where you going?” he asked.

 

“It looks like you're going to be busy. I'm sure there are more things to clean up,” Nel answered.

 

Grimmjow shook his head. “Nah, get over here,” he commanded.

 

Orihime squeaked as he reached over her for the other woman. He made Nel take off her shirt and lay beside the redhead. He was a happy, happy man. He had a different tit in each hand. He liked how Orihime moaned as he played with her new assets. He shifted his gaze to Nel who was using her hands on her own chest.

 

He could feel himself becoming more aroused. If they didn't stop, they would probably end up doing something. His hand gently cupped Orihime's newly pierced right tit, closing his eyes and letting his cock take over the controls of his body. He just wanted to feel. She whined loudly.

 

What had Ulquiorra told her to make her do that? What ideas had he been putting in her head?

 

Feeling hair brush against his hand, he opened his eyes in time to see Nel's mouth close over the redhead's left nipple. A groan left his throat. “Girls, are we gonna do this or do you guys want to go one after the other?”

 

“What?” Orihime asked in a breathy voice. She sounded confused.

 

Nel was the one who replied after lifting her mouth from the other female's flesh. “He's inviting us to have a threesome or wait and take turns.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Grimmjow looked down at Orihime and grinned. “Your choice, Princess.”

 

* * *

 

Orihime couldn't believe what was happening. Nel had her mouth on her body while the teal haired woman was having sex with Grimmjow. She panted because what the woman was doing was so much more phenomenal that anything a male could have done to her. Not that she had much experience with oral sex. She only had Ulquiorra as a basis for comparison.

 

Nel seemed to know what she wanted and where she liked to be touch. She felt the woman's hands on her breasts; moans and whimpers coming from her mouth. Grimmjow's rocking into Nel's body didn't harm the situation. Orihime briefly opened her eyes because she thought she heard one of the bedroom doors open. She saw just a flash of dark hair before her eyes fluttered shut.

 

Then it was her turn. Grimmjow was careful enough to slip on a condom before entering her swiftly. She was on all fours, suspended over Nel's body, kissing the other female. She could taste herself on the woman's mouth and tongue.

 

The orgasms had been plentiful, and she was exhausted as soon as it was all done. She lay on one side of Grimmjow, while Nel laid on the other side. His arms encircled both women. Orihime was almost asleep when she heard the entrance door loudly slam. She lifted her head and was going to sit up, but Grimmjow stopped her.

 

“Let him go, Orihime.”

 

“Why?”

 

“He's got shit to work through like the rest of us,” Grimmjow replied.

 

Orihime bit her lip and thought about what Ichigo had yelled at her. Was she a bitch? Was she a slut? Did Ulquiorra think of her the same way? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 50 Cent – Candy Shop  
> Darren Hayes – Crush (1980 Me)  
> Feeder - Frequency (Vox & Piano)  
> Embrace - Ashes  
> Darren Hayes - I Wish You Heaven (acoustic)  
> Cold - End of the World  
> 50 Cent – Magic Stick


	24. The Whole Experience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nel meets someone unexpected. Ulquiorra buys things and Orihime "talks" to him. Grimmjow needs to get a clue. Tensions rise high in the house. Nel also finds out why you should never poke the bear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> Um, there's sexual content in this chapter.

Bazz looked at the magazine his brother had shown him months ago. The redhead was nice looking. He was more interested in the woman with teal hair who was covered in tattoos. She looked robust enough to put up a fight. He had called the tattoo shop and made an appointment with her.

  
Nel Tu.

 

Strange name but she was a strange looking girl with the aqua hair. When he walked into the shop a blonde woman was at the front counter with a baby wrapped to her chest. Bazz had never seen anything like that. “I've got an appointment,” he said to her.

 

The blonde looked at him with a bored look and sighed. She shifted forward in her seat and tapped a few keys. “Bazz Black, scheduled for Nel?”

 

The red-mohawked man nodded. Rangiku sighed again. “Go sit, and I'll tell her you're here.”

 

Bazz gave her a dirty look before going over to the wall and looking at the pictures that hung there. Hundreds of designs were on display, most of them were colorful, and Bazz had something specific in mind. He wasn't going to get something generic.

 

“She's coming,” the blonde said and sat back down at the counter.

 

He couldn't help grinning at that. She would be if he could have his way. Bazz turned from the wall and looked around the waiting area. This place looked like teenage girls had been given control of the interior design.

 

Bazz heard some rustling so he swung his head to the side and saw the woman he wanted, stepping from behind a black curtain. She was more stunning than the photographs. Those pictures were low quality compared to the real thing.

 

The teal hair, hazel eyes, the perfect mouth... Mmmm. He licked his lips, and then Bazz undressed the rest of her with his eyes. She had nice tits, small waist, a perfect ass and long legs. He would even wager she had cute feet. Once, he got back to her face; she smiled at him. He grinned back at her.

 

“Hi, I'm Nel. If you come with me, we can discuss what you'd like to get done,” she said and held back the black curtain.

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra was trying to put together the new dining table and cursed as he couldn't find a screw. He looked up as Orihime walked into the room. His face was drawn into a small scowl. “I thought you were at class,” he commented.

 

“I was at class,” she said as she walked around the mess. He watched her make a beeline for the newly remodeled kitchen area. She reached into a cabinet and pulled down a jar of red bean paste then dug a spoon out of a drawer. “Where did you go the other night?”

 

“Hmm?” he murmured curiously as he sifted through the debris around him, trying to see if he could find the damn hardware for the table. “What do you mean where did I go the other night?”

 

“I saw you the other night; you know when—”

 

“No, I don't know,” Ulquiorra said, keeping his head down. He wasn't going to admit he heard and saw most of what was going on in the bedroom the other night. He had been turned on. He had been jealous. He had wanted to join them. Instead, he stalked angrily back to his room and put on proper clothing.

 

He took a walk. Their neighborhood was quiet. It didn't have the hum of the city like Grimmjow's apartment and it didn't have the local traffic of his old building. He thought about things as his feet carried him across the pavement lining the streets. He tried to rationalize things. Orihime wasn't his. They all agreed on not being exclusive to each other. All the rules they had laid down, no one had followed except the first one.

 

They didn't respect each others' space and privacy. Grimmjow didn't know how to take no for an answer. Everyone expected something out of each other. Ulquiorra wanted to be in an exclusive relationship with Orihime. They barely talked to each other. They were constantly bickering, fighting, and getting jealous. They all broke the no sex before the house rule.

 

That night that Grimmjow, Nel, and Orihime had sex with each other, he didn't come home until the early hours of the next morning, slipping into the bed beside Nel instead of the space beside Orihime. He hadn't missed the hurt looks she gave him the next day.

 

Ulquiorra had decided to spend more time with Nel. She wasn't a half bad person. She actually cared about those she was closest too. She was incredibly sweet too which killed him. She tried to smile all the time or at least when she could.

 

They were in her office when the guy with the funny hair had come into Candy Ink. They watched him on the monitors that showed the camera feeds. Nel knew that was her client.

 

“I don't like the look of him,” Ulquiorra said.

 

“Jealous, Cifer?”

 

“No, just a gut feeling.”

 

Nel gave him a small grin. “I think you may be jealous because someone hotter than Grimm walked into this shop,” she teased.

 

He rolled his eyes. “Did you want to get lunch today?”

 

“ _Lunch_ or did you actually mean eating?”

 

He sighed in an exasperated fashion then gave her a slightly seductive smirk. “I wasn't planning on having sushi today,” he replied.

 

“You're an ass.”

 

They'd laughed and she left when Rangiku told her that a client was here for her. He stayed in the office watching the monitors and how the man looked at Nel. It didn't sit well with him. He felt like he had seen this guy before but couldn't place where.

 

Nel was closing the shop today though; she wouldn't be home until later. They had made plans to watch a movie she had just bought. Meanwhile, he had gone to a furniture store to purchase several things for the house. He wished he had gone to a local store instead of the worldwide chain.

 

“I'm never going to fucking IKEA again,” he muttered and threw down the instructions. He couldn't find the damn screw. He eyed the other five boxes that were propped against the wall with disgust.

 

Orihime came over and sat on the other side of the tabletop. She was sans red bean paste. She picked up something on the floor and held it up. The screw. “Are you looking for this?”

 

Ulquiorra snatched the piece of metal from her hand. “What do you want, Orihime?”

 

He heard her sigh as he bent over the piece of wood to attach the leg to the top. “Why are you doing this?”

 

“Because we need a table to eat at?”

 

“Ulquiorra,” she pleaded. “That's not what I meant—”

 

“I know what you meant,” he stated. He focused on what he was doing for a moment before continuing to speak. “I just thought you and I were okay; that you didn't need Grimmjow anymore.”

 

“We can't do that. We all agreed to a set of rules—”

 

“That no one has followed,” he pointed out.

 

She sighed again. “Do we need to sit down and talk again?”

 

“No, I've got plans with Nel tonight,” he said. Ulquiorra couldn't help but glance at her. She looked almost mad. “We're just watching a movie. Don't make a fuss about every little thing.”

 

He was surprised when she reached across the table and grabbed the front of his t-shirt. Orihime pulled him to her and pressed her mouth to his. He couldn't help but respond to her. He scrambled over the table and had her pressed against the bamboo floor, the assembly of the table forgotten.

 

His hands roamed over her body, and soon they were under her skirt.

 

That's how Grimmjow found them when he walked into the house.

 

* * *

 

Was he surprised to see Ulquiorra lying on the dining area floor fingering Orihime? Sure, but who wouldn't be surprised though? He saw the dark-haired man look up at him. He just raised an eyebrow in question.

 

“Get the fuck out of here, Grimmjow,” Ulquiorra said, continuing his pleasure the woman beside him who was whimpering with her face turned into his chest.

 

“Public area, man. You should have thought about this before you decided to—” He was interrupted by Orihime moaning. Grimmjow got hard from that sound. He had to repress his desire. “Have fun in a non-designated area.”

 

“I am fucking tired of this. Do you not know how to follow the rules? I said leave,” Ulquiorra stated. He paused briefly to glare. Grimmjow guessed that Orihime had enough.

 

“You two need to stop,” Orihime yelled, pushing Ulquiorra away from her. She stood, quickly fixed her skirt, and stomped out of the room. They heard the bedroom door slam shut.

 

Grimmjow looked down at that man who stared back at him. He had to swallow again because Ulquiorra stuck the two fingers he was using on the redhead into his own mouth. For some reason, the tall man thought that action was incredibly erotic. “We could tag team her,” he said.

 

“No thanks, but if you need to, go ahead and have fun with her. I've got to put this stuff together,” Ulquiorra said as he stood.

 

“Do you want to fuck?”

 

“Do you want me to fuck you?”

 

“You're not going to let me top you?”

 

The dark-haired man threw his head back and laughed. His amusement sounded bitter. “Why the fuck would I do that?”

 

Grimmjow didn't want to admit that his question hurt. Did Ulquiorra not see them as equals? “An eye for an eye, man.” 

 

“That leaves people blind.”

 

* * *

 

When Nel got home, she put her stuff in her room, suspicious that the house was silent. The only lights on were the small one above the sink in the kitchen and the one from the entertainment room. She opened the door to the room to see Ulquiorra sitting in there scrolling through something on his phone.

 

He looked up at her and gave her a slight smile. “Dinner is in the fridge. It's noodles with tofu. Orihime recommends adding wasabi and hot chili oil to it.”

 

“That sounds painful,” Nel replied. “Do you want to come out and keep me company?”

 

“I can if you would like me too.”

 

Nel nodded. She went to the kitchen, flipped the light switch, and got out the container with the food in it. He followed. She dumped the contents into a pan and set it on the small stove. “Where's Orihime and Grimmjow?”

 

“Orihime's asleep. Grimmjow left a couple of hours ago,” he answered. “I got a surprise for you.”

 

“A surprise?”

 

“Mmmhmm,” he said and grabbed her hand.

 

Nel resisted him pulling her to the dining area which she couldn't see. “I'm cooking!”

 

“I'll watch it. Go look.”

 

She eyed him warily but did as he said. She walked around the corner and saw what was now sitting in the dining area. A table, four chairs, and a glass-fronted cabinet. Nel moved back to where Ulquiorra was in the kitchen area, stirring the noodles. “Did you buy all that?”

 

She had been complaining and such since they moved in that they didn't have a table to sit and eat at. Ulquiorra went out and bought an entire dining room set. He nodded but didn't say anything. He kept his eyes down, but Nel could see a soft blush come over his cheeks. He was embarrassed. Her heart melted a little bit.

 

“How—Why—I...” Nel trailed off not sure what to say.

 

“Your food is hot,” he said. “After you eat, we can watch that movie, if you want.”

 

* * *

 

They were sitting side by side on the leather couch, holding hands. He was slowly stroking his thumb against hers. Nel had her knees drawn up to her chest. Occasionally Ulquiorra would glance at her. He felt they weren't really watching the movie; just pretending to be interested in it. He could feel how thick the tension was in the room.

 

“Nel?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“If someone told you two years ago that you'd be doing this would you have believed them?” He asked, biting his bottom lip. Her teal hair shook back and forth.

 

She turned her head to look at him. “You, Orihime, Grimmjow are my best friends now. If someone would have told me five years ago that I would be living with three other people and having sex with all of them, I would not have believed it. If someone would have told me one of those people were you, I'd question their sanity.”

 

“Did you hate me so?”

 

“Ulquiorra, I've never hated you. You weren't really friendly to me. I just put you in a box with Nno—You were considered a hopeless cause,” she said with a faint smile.

 

Again his teeth ran over his lower lip before he spoke. He didn't quite understand why that her smile made him feel so warm inside. Why was he feeling turned on just by sitting here with her? Was it from the earlier encounter with Orihime?

 

How _did_ he feel about Nel? He knew what he felt for Orihime. She was always on his mind. She was always in this thoughts. He sought her out with his eyes to make sure she was real. Nel, well, he knew he felt something for her. It wasn't anywhere near love but it was close to something like it.

 

Ulquiorra offered his own smile as he joked, "Then maybe you should accept that I don't fit into that box you put me in."

 

She chuckled. “Yeah, you don't fit into it anymore.”

 

“Nel?”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“Can I—You know what, it's silly. Never mind,” he said, returning his gaze back to the television.

 

Nel paused the movie, forcing him to turn his attention back to her. “You can't do that, you know. You can't start asking a woman a question and then say never mind. It doesn't work like that.”

 

“I can't? I'm under the impression I just did,” Ulquiorra said, pulling the teal haired woman closer. He noted her look of surprise. “What?”

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Ulquiorra gave her a quizzical look as he dragged her top of him. “I think it would be obvious,” he murmured.

 

They were now laying down on the length of the couch, Nel's body on top of Ulquiorra's. Leaning up, he let his lips brush gently against her's, kissing her in an almost delicate fashion. When he pulled back he looked at her; she seemed quite confused. “What?” he asked again.

 

“Everything I've experienced with you is nothing like what I've heard about you,” she said, propping herself up on her arms.

 

“Yeah? Who have you talked to?”

  
“Orihime said that you were rough,” she said. “That you fucked her several times in one night.”

 

“What about the rest of my sexual partners?” He watched as Nel shook her head. “You look troubled, you know.”

 

Nel had pushed herself so that she was now sitting on his lap. “I just don't understand why there is a difference.”

 

He shrugged, “I figure you get fucked over enough by Grimmjow that you could use some gentleness and romance at times.”

 

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I get romance from him; he's gentle in his own way. But, now that I think about it, Grimmjow's always been gentle with Orihime. He treats her like she's breakable.”

 

Ulquiorra was silent for a moment. He had never treated Orihime like that. He'd been rough with her from the starting gate and he hadn't stopped. He was telling the truth about Nel. He knew enough about her past that it hadn't been easy. That's why he treated her differently.

 

But was she saying she wanted to see the side that everyone else saw? He wasn't sure he wanted to unleash that beast at the moment. He was calm. He was collected. He just wanted to have sex. He wanted to come. Per the rules, he couldn't go and seek anyone else out, but he didn't want Orihime at that moment.

 

Orihime. Orihime with Grimmjow. Just thinking about it still rankled him.

 

His jaw clenched. While he was turned on by hearing her moan and scream, it still killed him that she had to have someone else. Why couldn't he have fun too? Nel wanted to have the full Ulquiorra experience, so why shouldn't he give it to her?

 

* * *

 

Nel noticed the change in the man underneath her almost immediately. Suddenly she felt like prey, instead of something else. She saw the look in his eyes changed from fondness to hunger. Her eyes met his and she understood. Licking her lips, she gave him a slight nod. He surprised her by sitting up and pushing her off him. He then stood up and walked out. Nel had to hurry after him. He was ahead of her and disappeared into his own room.

 

She wasn't sure if she should follow him, but the light flicked on, and he stared at her. “Well?”

 

Nel took a deep breath and walked into his room. As soon as she was through the door, it closed behind her, and she found herself pinned against the wood. His mouth was on hers then her neck. He bit her which made Nel wince. She pulled slightly away from him and shook her head.

 

Ulquiorra was determined because he brought his mouth back to hers, prying it open with his tongue. He was a bit more gentle this time though. He exerted his dominance over her; she could feel him taking the lead.

 

He bit and sucked on her neck again; she groaned in pleasure. His hands were on her, taking her clothes off and then she found herself on his bed. She was on her back staring up at him. He was naked and hard. He had a handful of condoms, which he casually dropped on the futon.

 

“You're not going to use all of those, are you?” Nel asked, eyes widening with surprise. There had to be six or seven of those foil packets.

 

“Yes, I am, Nel. You still want to get fucked by me?”

 

She gazed up at him; her chest was rising and falling rapidly. Was he giving her the option to back out? Was he saying that she could leave? Did she want to leave? She bit her lip as she watched Ulquiorra sink to his knees in between her legs. She then nodded, “Yes, I do.”

 

* * *

 

Nel was in her own room, stretching; moving from one yoga pose to the next fluidly. After a week, she was still sore from _that_ night. She was bruised in places she didn't know that she could be bruised. Her neck looked very much like Orihime's did after her first time with Ulquiorra. Her chest had bite marks and hickeys all over. Her wrists and hips had hand-shaped marks on them.

 

It had briefly reminded her of Nnoitra, but he had never been gentle. He never listened to her when she said stop, no, or don't. Nel shook her head. She couldn't let him into her thoughts right now. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her mind. 

 

She had now seen both sides of Ulquiorra. She knew he could be sweet and loving. She knew he could be an absolutely brutal fucking machine but he had listened to her. He followed her body cues. The sex with him had been good. It had been better than good. It was great. It made all the tension in her body disappear. After the third orgasm, she lost count of how many she had and Nel found herself a bit teary he was finished. Ulquiorra had explained it was just a release of hormones that made her cry. She fell asleep next to him.

 

Grimmjow hadn't been happy when he saw the state of her. She avoided his gaze and he pretty much ignored her. She avoided Orihime's imploring looks. Ulquiorra had gone back to creating distance between himself and her.

 

Nel didn't understand why there were double standards for everything concerning sex in this household. Why could Grimmjow have his fun with Orihime and Ulquiorra but when Nel wanted to do the same, she was shunned? Why did Ulquiorra treat her so coldly after everything? She felt so emotional at the moment. 

 

She heard the rice paper screens being shoved to the side. It had to be Grimmjow, she thought but was surprised to see Orihime walk through the doorway. Nel stood up and looked at the other woman.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“This isn't working out as we thought. I think we all need to talk,” Orihime said. “It only makes sense to work this out instead of letting it sit and fester. It's tearing us apart.”

 

The teal-haired woman nodded. “Just tell me when and where,” she said. “I'll be there.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anamorphis - Divinity  
> Hole - Doll Parts  
> Ty Dolla Sign & Future Ft Kiiara - Darkside  
> Josh Kelley - Everybody wants you  
> Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.  
> Dirty Vegas - Days Go By


	25. Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grimmjow is disturbed by the silence and Ulquiorra tries to run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> There's a foursome in this chapter. ANNNND only 2 chapters left! Dun-dun-dunnnnn!
> 
>  
> 
> A Sim version of their house, unfurnished! http://tinypic.com/r/11aaohy/9

Grimmjow couldn't tell exactly what had awoken him, just that he was awake. His eyes sought the angry red numbers on the alarm clock, and he stared in disbelief at the ungodly hour. Who woke up at three in the fucking morning?

 

Still, he didn't know what had awoken him. He carefully flipped onto his side, trying not to disturb the others that were sleeping beside him. He lay like that for a few minutes before turning onto his back again. He wasn't comfortable, so he stared at the ceiling.

 

It wasn't long before he realized what had awoken him. It wasn't a sound; it was a lack of it. He had been so used to the sound of traffic by the expressway and the activity of the people that lived in the building with them. This neighborhood didn't have any of that.

 

He hated this silence. Silence meant he would start thinking about things. His brain started with the thoughts, and he closed his eyes. He couldn't think while lying in bed. He would begin to tossing and turning, disturbing everyone.

 

Sighing, he gave up trying to sleep. Grimmjow rose from the bed, walked over to his dresser, and grabbed a pair of boxers from the top drawer. Sliding them over his hips, he moved to the bedroom door and walked out into the kitchen. He then opened the glass door that led to the back garden and walked into the area., closing it behind him. He let out a sigh and tipped his head back to look at the still dark sky.

 

Orihime wanted to talk to everyone. She said this wasn't working. Deep down, he had to agree. It wasn't working in any way like he imagined or planned. Of course, he didn't expect for Ulquiorra to be in the picture.

 

He heard the door open and looked behind him to see the other three file out into the garden. He scowled at each of them. He was trying to have a moment to think, and they were bothering him.

 

“Nice night to stand outside in your underwear,” Grimmjow said when they all stopped beside him.

 

“Well, it's not like we got a lot of sleep because of you tossing and turning,” Nel replied in a sleepy voice.

 

“Sorry.”

 

“What's bothering you Grimmjow?” This question came from Orihime.

 

“Nothing is bothering me,” he said.

 

The dark-haired man said, “Bullshit.”

 

“Shut up, Ulquiorra.”

 

“Then tell us what's wrong!”

 

Grimmjow hung his head. He didn't want to talk about what was wrong. He didn't want to tell them anything. He just wanted life to back the way it was when they still thought his friend was dead. Guilt stabbed at the blue-haired man. He was selfish to think like that, but that's what was bothering him. There was no way that he could even say that to the three other people.

 

He flexed his fists then relaxed them. Everything in his life had been going downhill since they moved into this house. He stopped going to band practice, telling his bandmates that he needed time to deal with some family things. He was late getting his customers' orders to them then having to apologize and give discounts.

 

This was supposed to be the perfect solution to their situation. They were all supposed to be happy. Everyone seemed miserable.

 

“Let's go back to bed,” Orihime said. “We can talk about this later.”

 

“No,” Grimmjow said. “It's better to talk about this now. It might not be a perfect time, but it's the best opportunity that we have.”

 

Three sets of eyebrows shot up at his words. He knew those words were strange coming from him, but it was the truth.

  
  
“You want to talk about this in the garden?” Nel asked.

 

“Yeah, let's talk out here, so our neighbors know what kind of dysfunctional fuckheads are living here,” Grimmjow retorted. He gave a huff of irritation and turned around to go back into the house.

 

He could hear Ulquiorra behind him, say in a petulant voice, “I'm not a dysfunctional fuckhead.”

 

* * *

 

Orihime was sitting on the bed between Nel and Ulquiorra while Grimmjow was pacing the floor at the end of it. He looked like he was thinking what to say. He walked back and forth for several more minutes before he stopped.

 

The redhead took a deep breath. The look on the blue-haired man's face was bitter with a dash of anger.

 

He turned to Ulquiorra and said, “Had I not answered the phone that night everything would be perfect. I was—I was balls deep in Orihime—“ Grimmjow pointed at her. “—when you called. I was on the fucking verge of coming. Remember how I sounded? I stopped when I heard your voice. I bailed. I got dressed as quick as I could and left.”

 

Out of the corner of her, she saw the dark-haired man nod once. She remembered that night. She had begged Grimmjow not to go. She had asked him to take her along. She had said she was over Ulquiorra. She blushed and looked down at her lap.

 

“Had you not called, our lives would be perfect,” Grimmjow stated. He ran his hands through his hair, messing up the blue locks more. “Had you stayed dead to us, we wouldn't be the fucking mess we are now. Had you stayed gone, I'd have my cake, and I'd be eating it too.”

 

She glanced at Ulquiorra, who had his mouth pressed into a thin line and his hands balled into fists. He looked visibly hurt by Grimmjow's words.

 

“Stop, Grimmjow,” Orihime said. "Can't you see—"

 

“No!” he snapped. “You guys wanted to know what's bothering me and I'm going to tell you all. I'm going to lay it out on the fucking table. No matter what the hell it does to us, everything needs to come out.”

 

“I don't want to hear it, Grimmjow. You've said enough. I'll just get my stuff and leave,” Ulquiorra said, standing up.

 

Orihime watched in semi-horror as Grimmjow pushed him back down on the bed. “No one is going anywhere. I have more to say,” he stated. He was quiet for a moment. “I thought I could let Orihime go. I thought I could let her go back to you and I'd be happy. I'd have Nel and my life back. I wouldn't be living this parallel life anymore.

 

I couldn't. I got caught. I ruined our friendship. I destroyed the trust I had with Nel. I broke Orihime's heart. When you attacked her, I was going to kill you. I stood outside your apartment, and I heard you scream at Nel. What did you say? Do you remember?”

 

She watched Nel visibly blanch as Ulquiorra nodded. “I remember what I said,” he murmured. “I don't fucking want to get over her.”

 

“ _I. Don't. Fucking. Want. To. Get. Over. Her._ That's right; I heard that. When you screamed it, I felt like it was a threat to me. My brain took it as a threat. I wanted to just take Nel and Princess for myself. When Nel left your apartment the next morning, I accused her of sleeping with you. I gave her the cold shoulder. I was pissed off.

 

I had no right to be mad. You had oral sex. I was next door having a good time. Don't look shocked Nel. I slept beside her, and I fucked her the following day. You can't say you didn't expect it. You told me to take care of her,” Grimmjow said as he turned his head toward the other woman. “Then we talked, and I thought everything was okay because of what we did to Nel. I thought okay. He's fucked my girlfriend; we can be even.”

 

Grimmjow paused. Orihime frowned because he looked so torn. She sighed, and he continued.

 

“Then Nel told me you felt like we had used you. I didn't fucking use you. I wanted you. I remember staring at your face and let me tell you something, man. You're fucking beautiful. You're fucking beautiful when you're angry. You're fucking beautiful when you're happy. I know that sounds crazy, but it's the truth.”

 

Orihime smiled at that. Grimmjow was right. The dark-haired man was beautiful; handsome; sexy. She gave a small sigh of contentment but then saw Ulquiorra roll his eyes and shake his head.

 

“You know, I was... just... so angry at you for leaving. I was mad at you for putting a fucking idea in my head that I cannot comprehend. I can't do it. I can't imagine Orihime like that. You attacked me at my workshop and then that whole thing happened. I could blame the alcohol for the touches and kisses during the threesome. I had no fucking explanation for what happened then.

 

I guess I was being greedy because I wanted all of you, but I didn't want you guys to have each other. Then we agreed to do this. We decided to a set of rules that I was so unhappy with, that I broke every one except the first one.

 

Then Orihime started acting like she was sick and depressed again. Then she was fine again. We found this place, but we started fighting more. I got jealous when I went over to her apartment, only to see her leaving your fucking place. I got so fucking jealous. I—she—the shower. She told me if I wanted her, I'd have to accept you too.”

 

She blushed this time. She remembered what changed at that time. Ulquiorra had shown her things. He gave her the release that she needed. It was surprising to hear that Nel and Grimmjow had broken the no sex rule. Well, it being Grimmjow, it wasn't surprising, she guessed.

 

“So I did. We had that talk afterward, and we agreed to let her choose who and what she wanted. What happened? We moved in here, and we're at each other's throats again, fighting over her. You know that first night she was trying to wake you up because she wanted us both. You wouldn't wake up and when you did you fucking left the room. You upset Orihime. Then—then—” he paused, and Orihime looked at the blue-haired man. She could see him blushing, and she furrowed her brow in confusion.

 

Why would he be blushing?

 

"Grimmjow, are you getting red?" Nel asked in disbelief.

 

He nodded and then looked at Ulquiorra. "I am. I'm blushing, but unfortunately, I'm not as cute as Orihime when it happens. There's something you two don't know. I'm not sure how to put it because again, I don't have a reason why it happened. I—I—"

 

"I took his virginity," Ulquiorra stated, in his monotone voice, as he stared at the floor.

 

"What? Grimm's not been a virgin for yea—Oh." Orihime watched Nel's eyes get wide. "Oh, I understand now."

 

"Nel, don't get mad. I was embarrassed that it happened... No, strike that; not embarrassed. That's not the right word. I was confused and flustered by what happened. I've heard the stories his ex-girlfriends have told. I've heard the stories from Orihime. I've heard the stories from his own mouth. He was supposed to be this rough—He wasn't rough. Ulquiorra was the sweetest fucking person I've ever had sex with.”

 

Orihime turned her head and thoroughly looked at the man who was sitting beside her. His own face was bright pink now. Ulquiorra had sex with Grimmjow? Was he embarrassed about it? She furrowed her brow and expected to be angrier than what she felt. How come Nel and Grimmjow got gentle sex, but she didn't?

 

“The night of the party with that kid ruining things and then Ken showing up—What happened between the girls and me—I saw you come into the room, Ulquiorra. I saw it. I wanted to tell you to join us, but you just watched for a moment then left.

 

Then I caught—okay, caught isn't the word. I saw you two; you and Orihime, the day you were putting together the table. You were fingering her on the floor. I know you remember. You can't tell me to leave a public area if you plan on fucking someone there.

 

The way you put your fingers in your mouth. You don't even know how bad I wanted you then. I left that night. I didn't get back until late, really late. I thought about a lot of things while I was gone. When I walked into the bedroom and just saw Orihime in the bed, I knew what happened. All I had to do is walk down the hall. I saw Nel. I saw you. I saw the condoms.

 

Then, about a week later, I have Princess telling me this isn't working and we need to talk. We need to work out things more,” Grimmjow finished with a sigh.

 

* * *

 

“So, I guess what you're saying is you want me to leave so that you can live here with these two?” Ulquiorra asked, glancing up at Grimmjow.

 

He watched the tall man shake his head. “Nah. You didn't listen to a damn word I was saying, did you?”

 

In truth, Ulquiorra had heard every word. He understood everything Grimmjow had said. It was just; he didn't know if he could handle what Grimmjow was telling them. What had he told Nel months ago while they sat on the roof of Grimmjow's old apartment?

 

“ _So, are you attracted to him now?”_

 

“ _I mean, he's nice to look at but to actually invest something in him is crazy.”_

 

Ulquiorra knew he wasn't stupid, and he wasn't crazy, but he needed to hear the words that he actually meant though. Just to make sure he understood Grimmjow's whole speech.

 

“What are you trying to say then, Grimmjow?” the dark-haired man said, searching the other male's face for something. The only thing Grimmjow did was bite his bottom lip. Was he not going to answer?

 

The blue-haired man looked at him strangely. Ulquiorra had the feeling Grimmjow was going to say something so profound it might break him. His voice was quiet when he spoke. “I think... I might... I fucking... I love you. I fucking love you all,” he said. He then looked at the women. “I love you, Nel. I love you, Orihime. I don't know fucking why I do. You all should hate me right now.”

 

Ulquiorra heard sniffling from the redhead. She had tears coming down her cheeks. He turned to Nel who was also tearing up. They both got off the bed and wrapped their arms around the blue-haired man. He returned the hugs.

 

His green eyes stared at the floor. He couldn't explain the feeling in his chest. He couldn't rationalize his way out of this. Ulquiorra did the only thing he knew how to do. He shut down. He got up and walked out of the bedroom, down the hall to his own room, and opened the door. He shut and locked it. He could hear people behind him, yelling and trying to talk to him.

 

Quickly throwing some clothes on, he got dressed in jeans and t-shirt before they could react. He grabbed his wallet, keys, and phone. Unlocking his room door, Ulquiorra saw three people standing in the hall. He tried to pass Orihime, but she reached out to him. Nel wrapped her arms around him.

 

Why were they causing a fucking scene when all he wanted to do was leave? He pried both women from him and realized Grimmjow was standing in front of the entrance door, wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

 

Fuck.

 

“Going somewhere?” the taller man asked. Ulquiorra said nothing. He stared straight ahead at the man's chest. “Where do you think you can go?”

 

“Let me leave.”

 

“No,” Grimmjow said. The taller man reached out and forced Ulquiorra's chin up. “Why is it when someone shows a genuine interest in you that you run or you do something to push them away?”

 

Ulquiorra scowled. Did Grimmjow actually want to go into this? Did he want to open that can of worms? Fine. 

 

* * *

 

“Shit,” Grimmjow groaned as soon as Ulquiorra left the room. He released the women and quickly found a pair of jeans and a t-shirt to pull over his head.

 

"What are you doing?"

 

"Nel, he's gonna fucking run."

 

"You think he's gonna run?"

 

"I know he's gonna run," he replied.

 

"What are you two talking about?" Orihime asked.

 

Grimmjow looked at her. Orihime didn't know what the asshole did when someone expressed deep feelings for him. "I don't think we have the time to explain; at least, I don't. I have to catch him before he can get out of the door."

 

He ran out of the bedroom, followed by the Orihime. "Look, Ulquiorra gets spooked when people show him the slightest bit of attention. He does something to fuck things up. He hurts the other person in some way."

 

"He's never done that with me," the redhead said.

 

"No, you were a special case, Princess. You're the first female he's pursued actively. He went after you," Grimmjow stated.

 

"Well, no, that's not right," Nel said, pulling on a pair of leggings as she came down the hall. "The hooker."

 

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow at Nel as they got to the entrance door. "How the fuck do you figure that?"

 

The teal haired woman sighed and walked past him, "Orihime showed interest by talking to him and automatically knowing his name. He hurt her with the hooker."

 

The trio stood in the hallway and waited, and Ulquiorra came out of his room, ready to run. He even demanded that Grimmjow allow him to leave.

 

The tall man wasn't going to do it. They all needed to get out their issues, including him.

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra's gaze was on the verge of becoming deadly. His mouth was set in a thin line. Although his face showed no emotion, his eyes told a whole different story. They were full of anger. He was ready to kill Grimmjow. His fist opened and closed several times, and he wondered if he could land a punch or two before the other man knocked him on his ass.

 

“It's all people do. Humans hurt each other,” he said quietly. There was frustration rippling along the surface of his features.

 

“Do you think that's all we do to each other?” Grimmjow had to keep fucking talking.

 

He had reached his boiling point now. The dark haired man threw his hands up. Was Grimmjow that fucking stupid? Did he not see it? It was crystal clear to Ulquiorra. “I don't know! I don't see anything else happening. We're not living some happy fucking life here. I know myself; that's the only thing I'm going to do if I stay here. It's the only thing I'm capable of. I'm going to hurt each of you; whether it be physically, mentally or emotionally. I'm going to disappoint each of you. I'm not going to be able to live up to your standards or expectations. Eventually, someone—everyone, is gonna get bored, annoyed, hate, or stop talking to me.”

 

The smaller man turned around and walked a couple of steps down the hall. He turned into the dining area. If Grimmjow wasn't going to let him out the front, then he would leave via the garden. The other man must have realized what he was going to do because Ulquiorra found himself spun around and pinned against the wall.

 

He brought his fist up, but those were slammed against the wall. He struggled for a few moments before his mouth was crushed to the other man's. He tried moving his arms, but Grimmjow didn't allow him much purchase. Instead, the taller man kissed him deeply. Ulquiorra found his hands tangled in blue hair.

 

There were two other mouths on him. Nel and Orihime were kissing either side of his neck. Six pairs of hands were touching his body, and he shivered. He was jostled and then was being lifted into the air. Grimmjow had picked him up and had both hands on his ass. Both of his legs were on either side of the man's hips. Ulquiorra didn't know what to think of this because before he knew it, all four of them were in the bedroom again.

 

Clothing was coming off and flying through the air. He could hear it hit the floor with soft flops. The mouths were back kissing, sucking, and licking. A non-pierced tit hung in his face; he reached up with a hand to fondle the skin. He used his mouth against Nel's flesh followed by his fingers.

 

His jeans disappeared along with his boxers. Grimmjow violently pulled his t-shirt off his head. He saw Orihime's head between his legs. His eyes rolled up in pleasure when he felt her mouth on him. Then for a brief second, Ulquiorra watched as Nel leaned over his chest to take the blue-haired man's cock in her mouth. He wasn't aware that his hand was pinching her nipple, he was just lost in the visual and physical pleasure that was happening. His eyes closed again as another jolt of pleasure coursed through him.

 

He was panting for breath as Orihime delicately touched his balls with her fingers. He arched his hips and let out a groan. Then someone was kissing him, and he felt a weight on his lap. He opened his eyes to see Orihime had a condom in her hand and she was rolling it over the head of his cock.

 

Ulquiorra's eyes watched what she and Nel were going to do to him. The teal-haired woman was mounting him then his vision was blocked by Orihime who was straddling his chest. He briefly wondered where Grimmjow was while he had two women on top of him. He didn't dwell on it for too long because he saw the perfect opportunity to explore one of his favorite things.

 

His pale hands pulled Orihime's hips closer to his face. She seemed to understand what he wanted because he had his face buried in between her legs once again. He didn't waste any time; his fingers entered the redhead. His free hand had a hold of one of Nel's thighs.

 

Both women were rocking on him; their cries reached his ears. Then he felt someone nudge his legs apart. Grimmjow's hard thighs were between his and Ulquiorra panicked for a moment before he felt the pressure on his cock increase. Nel was moaning louder. The blue-haired man was going to fuck Nel in the ass again.

 

He vaguely heard Grimmjow say something and the body above his mouth moved. Orihime was turning around so that she could face Nel at the same time. Ulquiorra was presented with the woman's pussy again, and he let his tongue flick against her skin. 

 

It didn't take long before the only sounds heard through the house was moans, groans, and cries of ecstasy from the men and women. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence  
> Disturbed - The Sound of Silence  
> Mr. Meeble - Forget This Ever Happened  
> LL Cool J - Luv U Better  
> The Verve - Freshman  
> Noir Fleurir - Gin-Iro Basha  
> The Protomen - Silent Running (On Dangerous Grounds)  
> Plumb - Don't Deserve You  
> Miyavi - Girls, Be Ambitious  
> Breaking Benjamin - Here We Are


	26. Say My Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A kitten! Nefarious doings! There is fluff and stuff from their past! Ulquiorra corrects people!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please, enjoy.
> 
> One more chapter left! Anal sex (m/f, nothing vulgar) and some m/m elements. 
> 
> I suggest reading the backstories bc this has mentions of the past in it. 
> 
> Also, Pantera is a Red/Flame Point Siamese. I have one of these and she is a Siamese/Ragdoll mix (Purrtwee's (Doctor Who Reference!) mom is a Siamese, Dad is a flame point Ragdoll). They are pretty cats, you should google it if you are curious!

After that wild early morning, things were right for them. Fighting was kept to a minimum. The only problem that seemed to pop up was Grimmjow chasing after Ulquiorra. Nel smiled and rolled her eyes as she watched the blue-haired man cuddle up to the dark-haired man in the bed one Saturday morning a month after the foursome. Once Ulquiorra woke up, there would be yelling.

 

She walked out of the bedroom and then went to the bathroom. After that, she went to make coffee. She was surprised to find Orihime in the garden. Nel abandoned the coffee and walked over to the open sliding glass door. “Orihime, what are you doing?”

 

“I found a kitten!” the redhead said and turned around. She had the biggest grin on her face.

 

In both of her hands, she held a tiny cat. Nel would have said it looked Siamese, but instead of being dark, the cat was white with an orange face. It had big, crystal blue eyes which were so pretty. They surpassed the color of Grimmjow's eyes.

 

“It's cute!” Orihime gushed and petted its head.

 

The teal-haired woman was about to say something, but she heard yelling from the bedroom. Ulquiorra must be awake.

 

“ _DAMMIT GRIMMJOW! I told you—Ohhh god._ ”

 

* * *

 

He knew her schedule. He'd paid some guy to get that information for him. He was even in one of her classes. Tsukishima looked through the photos that he had in his hands of four people engaging in sexual acts. The brothers knew how to spy on people like professionals thus why he had the pictures of the orgy.

 

Her name was Orihime Inoue, nineteen and a new university student. She worked at Candy Ink Tattoo. She was currently in a relationship with a man name Grimmjow Jeagerjaques and surprisingly, Ulquiorra Cifer. He kept the information that the man with the dark hair and facial tattoos was still alive to himself. Tsukishima knew he could use this information to his advantage when the right time came along.

 

He also knew it was the man because he recognized him. It was hard to forget the face. He had seen the video feeds of the penthouse apartment. He saw the magazine article. His father had been pleased when he found him. There were not a lot of people in Nikko or Utsunomiya that looked like the four of them. They stuck out like sore thumbs.

 

Bazz was more interested in the connection between the two women. He was interested in the other one with unnaturally colored hair. Nelliel Tu, twenty-three, owner of the tattoo shop, in a relationship mostly with Grimmjow Jeagerjaques but engaged in sexual acts with Ulquiorra Cifer and this redheaded woman.

 

After he was done, he put them back into the envelope then threw it on the seat beside him. He was sitting in his car, in a parking lot, at a clinic. Both women had gone into the place. Either he or Bazz would follow them around when they weren't busy. This past week, he and Bazz had gone to the mall where the teal-haired woman walked with the smaller man, and they bought things.

 

Then Tsukishima had watched with disinterest as the redhead, and blue-haired man took a stroll through a park. He had sat on a bench and read, _Return of Aion_. It was one of his favorite books. He kept note of the two and narrowed his eyes when they left the park, hand in hand.

 

The brothers had watched the party, the fight, and the arrival of the tall man with black hair. Tsukishima was familiar with him. Kenpachi Zaraki ran a fighting ring and gambling hall in Utsunomiya and Nikko. He trained people to fight though, so his business looked like a legitimate place. He was one of the good criminals; the ones that aided families in need with supplies during disasters.

 

Unlike Aizen's operation, they were slowly branching out their services to other means of business that wasn't so legitimate. At least that was the rumor. Of course, unless it was said at one of the meetings, then it was most likely just the word of some lowly thug.

 

He saw a flash of copper, and he looked up to see the teal-haired woman and the redhead. The younger one held a piece of paper and was talking animatedly to the other.

 

* * *

 

Orihime hadn't felt good at all. She was feeling feverish and sick, so she called the clinic. It turned out that her right nipple had gotten infected and she had to take antibiotics. It was easy enough. All she had to do was remember to take the antibiotic and her birth control.

 

She lay next to Ulquiorra in her room as Pantera, the kitten, was trying to use the man's chest as a scratching post. She smiled as he hissed in pain. The kitten had made the past couple of weeks interesting. Most nights the white kitten would be perched on Grimmjow's head, asleep or she would lay across Ulquiorra's neck.

  
  
Both men had complained about the kitten being in the bedroom at night.

  
Grimmjow wanted to keep it. Nel had gone to get both men from the bedroom, and they came out into the kitchen to see Orihime with the cat. Ulquiorra was adjusting his boxers while Grimmjow was naked. It was the new normal for them though. The blue-haired man instantly fell in love with the animal. He took her from the redhead. She let him because he looked so enamored with it.

 

“I declare you, Pantera,” he said.

 

“Wait, why are we naming the cat?” Ulquiorra asked. “I don't like cats. We haven't even discussed the possibility of a pet. We can barely take care of ourselves. Why don't we try a plant before we take in a living thing.”

 

They all had tuned out his complaints. Grimmjow took her to the vet that day for a checkup. He was back with her and supplies a couple of hours later.

 

He had a full report of what the animal doctor had said. He repeated it back to them. “She's half-Siamese and half-Ragdoll. Pantera's about three or four months old. I'm supposed to take her back in two months to get her fixed.”

 

“What the hell is a Ragdoll?” Nel asked.

 

“The vet explained it to me. It's a type of breed of cat. They're lovable and kind of look like, uh, I can't think of a Japanese breed that looks like them. I can, however, cite some American breeds that it looks like,” Grimmjow stated. "The vet showed me pictures."

 

The kitten had been a great thing. She kept them all occupied.

 

Her eyes watched as Ulquiorra picked the kitten up and shuffled her out of the room and closed the door. She couldn't look away as he came closer to her and she allowed her eyes to roam over him. He was completely naked. She liked how his body moved; how she could see the muscles in his arms and stomach down to the etched Adonis lines. She bit her lip as he stood above her.

 

“I think we were trying to do something before the furball interrupted us,” he said in a quiet voice.

 

Orihime nodded in response. They had been doing something before Pantera attacked Ulquiorra. He lay beside her again, caressing her body. She could only groan as he brought her to a peak and gently backed off. He was teasing her. What was he trying to do to her? Did he want her to beg?

 

She had gotten used to his fingers pushing in and out of her that she had asked him for this. She heard the foil packet as he opened it. She felt that cold substance against her. Her eyes rolled back into her head as he used both hands to stroke her swollen lips, letting his thumb press against her clit.

 

He had explained everything to her. He had made sure she was informed. Ulquiorra grabbed one of her hands and placed it where his hand had been. He leaned down to kiss her then whispered, “I want you to...” A pause. “Touch yourself while I'm doing this to you.”

 

Her knees would have been jelly had she been standing when he said that to her. She did as he said though with a nod. Nel had been right. It was an intense feeling. He pressed against her, but it was gentle. Ulquiorra was being so sweet and caring. Orihime was surprised when she felt his abs against her bottom. She had been so lost in the sensation of rubbing herself like he had instructed her to do, and the slick friction, she hadn't realized he was now buried entirely in her.

 

“Relax,” he said. His hands were stroking the insides of her thighs.

 

“Ulqui—” she whimpered as he rocked against her.

 

“That's not my name, Woman. You know I don't like nicknames.”

 

“Hnnn,” Orihime could barely keep her thoughts straight, and he was asking her to form his name perfectly.

 

He sat back a little, and she opened her eyes to look at him. She felt his hands between their bodies. Two fingers entered her. She got lost in the sparks of pleasure. Her back arched and she forgot about trying to touch herself. Between his cock and his fingers, Orihime clawed at the futon below her, looking for some purchase. Still, it wasn't a fast fucking. He was just slowly rocking against her; his fingers were pressing against that one spot that sent electricity running through her body.

 

If she opened her eyes would she see his green eyes looking at her, studying her? Would his expression be one of love?

 

She peeked at him. His eyes were closed, and she could see he was holding back, biting his lip. He was just as lost as she was in this activity. He shifted his body, and she watched his breathing hitch. He was enjoying himself. This made a small smile play upon her mouth, and she closed her eyes again. She was so glad no one else was home to hear her cry out.

 

It didn't take long for his hands to bring her to a screaming climax. Everything on her body felt hypersensitive, and she hissed as he continued to move inside of her. He placed his hand against her cheek which she leaned her head against. 

 

“Orihime, are you okay?”

 

She could tell he was looking at her with those green eyes. Sometimes, she felt as if she would get lost in them. “It's just so—I don't know. It's tender, but it's pleasurable. Every time you move, it's pain and—” Orihime replied. She looked up at him with wide eyes. She couldn't explain what was going on. 

 

“Do you want me to stop?”

 

“You haven't come yet, have you?”

 

He shook his head and said, “If you're in pain or this isn't enjoyable then I don't need to.”

 

She pouted and stared at him. How could he say that? He deserved just as much pleasure as she did. Her tongue slipped out of her mouth to wet her lips. “We can explore this again if you want. You shouldn't have teased me so much then my orgasm wouldn't have been so powerful.”

 

Ulquiorra kissed her gently and slowly pulled out without another word. After they cleaned up, she rode him until he gripped her hips tightly to stop the movements as he shivered beneath her. 

 

* * *

 

About a month later, they were at the grocery store. All four of them. Orihime was walking down the aisle while she was muttering something.

 

“What are you looking for, Woman?” he asked with a sigh. He'd gotten what he wanted to eat for the week. Pre-made bentos, miso soup, and he splurged on jam-filled doughnuts.

 

Orihime looked up at him. Her voice was loud. “I want popcorn!”

 

Ulquiorra's brows furrowed. He prayed to whatever was in the sky that Grimmjow had not heard her. He had because Ulquiorra could hear him laughing, along with Nel. They were close by.

 

“Why would you want popcorn?” He scowled. When he was younger, he had eaten nothing but popcorn for an entire month. Now, he couldn't stand the stuff. He couldn't even stomach the smell of it. Grimmjow had given him a stupid nickname because of it.

 

He heard footsteps behind him. “Orihime, let me clue you in on something,” Grimmjow voice said. The dark-haired turned around and glared at the blue-haired man. “C'mon on Ulq. It's funny.”

 

“Ulquiorra. Not Ulqui or Ulq; it's Ulquiorra,” he stated, using his tongue to roll the R's in his name.

 

“Yeah, whatever. Anyway, Princess, you can't say popcorn around him,” Grimmjow said with a laugh. “There was this one time where we were watching movies, and _Ulquiorra_ ate seven bags of popcorn. We didn't even know where the kid was getting it, but he ate it all over the span of like three or four movies.”

 

Nel flushed slightly, and Ulquiorra glared at her too. “Don't you start either,” he warned her. "You weren't even there!"

 

The teal-haired woman shook her head, but he could tell she was holding back laughter. “I'm not, Popcorn Monster.”

 

“Popcorn Monster?” Orihime asked.

 

With a sigh, he grabbed his items from the basket/cart combo and stomped up to the front of the store. He was now irritated. The taunts didn't stop as they drove home. They didn't stop once they were in the house. Ulquiorra had to shut himself in his room for two whole days, only coming out to grab something to eat or use the bathroom. He scowled every time he saw one of them.

 

On the third day, Grimmjow apologized first then Nel and finally Orihime. He and the redhead spent that night in his room. She showed him just how sorry she was.

 

Things were going great.

 

He was stupid to think that this peace would last.

 

Peace never lasted long around him.

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow was laying in bed trying to take a nap. Nel was at work. Orihime was at school. Ulquiorra had disappeared somewhere. His work was all caught up and the only thing he had to do that day was going to band practice later that night. Since things had smoothed out, he felt confident enough to rejoin them with the gigs.

 

He heard the entrance door open and closed. The footsteps were familiar. Ulquiorra came home. He expected the steps to grow faint, but they got louder. He turned away from the door, onto his side and closed his eyes.

 

He had too much on his mind lately. It all concerned the dark-haired man. Grimmjow had meant what he said to Ulquiorra. It wasn't said to scare the other man away. It was just how he felt. He heard the bedroom door open then Ulquiorra enter the room. He felt the bed move and then a body behind him.

 

"What are you doing?" Ulquiorra asked.

 

"I'm trying to sleep," he replied. Grimmjow tried to roll over, but the other man grabbed him by the waist. "What are you doing?"

 

Grimmjow could feel Ulquiorra's hand worm under the blanket he was using. His hand was cool against his abdominals. "I don't know. I thought we could like hang out," the dark-haired man said.

 

The blue-haired man looked over his shoulder. He couldn't see Ulquiorra out of the corner of his eye. "You really want to hang out?"

 

"What else would I want to do?"

 

The tall man moved away from the other male and turned onto his back. He looked at him. Ulquiorra had his eyes closed, and his head was resting on his bicep. "Dunno," Grimmjow replied.

 

Emerald green eyes opened and stared at him for a moment. "Is it wrong for us to hang out anymore?"

 

Grimmjow gave a half-hearted shrug. "We haven't really hung out in years. I mean not like we used to as kids. We used to go to that manga place. I remember that candy store too. We'd watch movies at your house."

 

"Don't start with the popcorn business or I will punch you in the nuts so hard, you won't be able to produce children," Ulquiorra grumbled.

 

"I wasn't, asshole," Grimmjow said with a grin. "We would play video games."

 

"I don't have any of my consoles anymore," Ulquiorra said. "Do you think the girls would get mad if I went and bought one? Like a vintage one?"

 

"Mmmm."

 

"What does that mean when you do that? Why do you do it?" the other male asked.

 

"Do what?"

 

"That noise."

 

"Tch," Grimmjow scoffed. He turned onto his side, this time facing Ulquiorra. "It's a non-committal noise. It doesn't mean anything."

 

"Ah."

 

Images from his childhood flitted through his brain and sadness hit him right in the heart. That's what his problem was; the memories of his dead friend. The anniversary of Nnoitra's death was approaching. "Ulq?"

 

"It's Ulquiorra, not Ulq. I saw your phone the other day. You have my contact name as U-L-Q. I want it changed," Ulquiorra complained.

 

"What's my name in your phone?"

 

"Asshole."

 

"Really?"

 

"No, it's Grimm."

 

"You don't even have _my_ proper name in _your_ phone, so why would I change yours?" Grimmjow asked. He grinned again as Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. "What's Nel's contact name?"

 

"Nel."

 

"I have her as Queen in my phone," Grimmjow said absently. "Orihime?"

 

"None of your damn business."

 

"That's a long ass contact name," the blue-haired man said.

 

"Ugh, why are you so frustrating?"

 

"I've always been frustrating, man, but glad you just noticed it. I don't think I'll ever change though. She's Princess in my phone."

 

"Her name in my phone is an emoticon of a heart," Ulquiorra mumbled. Grimmjow looked over and saw the other man's face was red and he was trying to bury his face in the mattress.

 

"That's cute."

 

"Shut up."

 

Grimmjow thought it was funny and he burst out laughing. Ulquiorra raised his head and glared at him. It made him laugh harder. Once he calmed down, the blue-haired man, reached over and pulled Ulquiorra over to him.

 

He didn't resist or anything. Ulquiorra must have gotten used to him wanting to cuddle. Once he was settled, Grimmjow felt his arm draped around his waist again. This was nice. No fighting, no tension, no anger. In a way, they were already hanging out with each other.

 

"Ulq?"

 

"Not this again."

 

"Fine, Ul-qui-or-ra,” the blue-haired man said, sounding out every syllable. “Seriously though, do you still have those sketchbooks?"

 

"Which ones? I've gone through hundreds of sketchbooks in my life," he replied.

 

“The one of me,” Grimmjow murmured. “You know of the one you showed me the night—”

 

“I know what you're referencing. No, I got rid of all my old sketchbooks when I moved in with the ex. My art stuff was crowding her science shit,” Ulquiorra said, looking up at Grimmjow.

 

Grimmjow felt a flicker of desire. His eyes were centered on Ulquiorra's mouth. “Ah.”

 

Ulquiorra's eyebrows raised slightly. “Why Grimmjow?”

 

“I wanted to see what compromising positions you drew us in,” he said, pulling the man on top of him. “I remember one sketch where you were sitting on my lap with no clothes on and—”

 

“You're a pervert,” Ulquiorra said and sat up, straddling Grimmjow's hips. His eyes narrowed, “Wait a minute, are you naked under there?”

 

It was Grimmjow's turn to be slightly embarrassed. He looked away from the green eyes studying him. He knew what Ulquiorra was doing. He was analyzing him. “So what if I am? I sleep naked,” he stated. His blue eyes looked at the man's face. “You're the one who came in here bothering me with wanting to hang out.”

 

“You're the one who got touchy-feely.”

 

Grimmjow rolled his eyes and sat up which jolted Ulquiorra slightly. “I can get more touchy-feely,” he said. His hands came up and grabbed Ulquiorra's hips. He leaned in to kiss the man.

 

“You think you're slick, don't you?”

 

The blue-haired man gave a low chuckle. “All you gotta do is submit to me,” he murmured. He gave Ulquiorra a rather tame kiss. Instead of staying on his lips, Grimmjow moved to Ulquiorra's ears. He chuckled again. “What's it gonna take?”

 

He felt the smaller man shiver, and Ulquiorra angled his head. Was he giving Grimmjow better access to his neck? The bigger man took the opportunity and kissed the skin right under his ear. “Did you come in here to get fucked, Cifer?”

 

“No,” came the reply. The dark-haired man was struggling to find words. He kept pausing his words because Grimmjow was licking and sucking and biting Ulquiorra's neck and earlobe. “I just—just wanted to know... Ohhhhh.”

 

“I don't think you came in here for that,” Grimmjow replied.

 

“Grimmjow, you can't dominate me. You've tried and looked how that worked out for you.”

 

“What's it gonna take for you to be on me then?”

 

Ulquiorra pulled back and looked at him. His eyes were half-closed, and what Grimmjow could see, they were hungry with desire. “When your dick gets smaller,” he said.

 

“Tch. You're not small,” Grimmjow said.

 

“Compared to you, I'm a twig,” the dark-haired man stated.

 

“Seriously? You won't let me fuck you because my dick is too big?” Grimmjow paused because the man lazily rolled his hips. He had to swallow the lump in his throat. “Don't start this Ulquiorra, unless you're willing to let me finish it.”

 

“You want me?”

 

Grimmjow nodded.

 

“You've gotta earn it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Swedish House Mafia - Don't You Worry Child  
> Skylar Grey - Coming Home  
> Brooke Candy - I Wanna Fuck Right Now  
> Blackbear - IDFC  
> Bloodhound Gang - Something Diabolical  
> Destiny's Child - Say My Name  
> The Weeknd - Earn It


	27. Epilogue: Congratulations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan is put into motion. The girls get an unwanted gift. Ulquiorra and Grimmjow pay a visit to an old "friend". Nel finds out something devastating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. I, EspadaIV, do not own Bleach nor the characters I've used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. Kudos are awesome too. I have a soundtrack to this story which I will leave in the notes at the end of the fic. Thank you for reading and please enjoy.
> 
> The end of this part! I hope you all enjoyed! Thank you for the comments and the kudos! Please be on the lookout for Part 3 in 2018 (Maybe sooner.)! Have a great end of the year!
> 
> I really want to thank guest commenter Eli for the support and the banter. You're awesome! 
> 
> I take requests! Want me to write something else? Send me a message: Twitter - @IVEspada || Tumblr - @espada-iv

The man known as Aizen listened to his son. He knew what Tsukishima wanted as the young man had made it very clear that the men Aizen commanded could be much more profitable if they put focus into other areas. He knew what the kid was proposing.

 

There was the matter of how he wanted to do it. Aizen's jaw tensed as he heard the words. He shook his head.

 

“When you take over, you may do whatever you please, Tsukishima. Until then, I'm not going to invest in new business ventures.”

 

“The branch in the Philippines—”

 

“I do not care how much they make off whores and illegal drugs.”

 

“You had your hands in it years ago,” Tsukishima stated. “What about that guy that was gunned down in Nikko?”

 

Aizen raised an eyebrow at his son. If his son was talking about Cifer, that man had been shot for a different reason. He'd been shot because he had touched his wife and then ran. The idiot had not enough sense to stay gone. “Do you mean Cifer?”

 

“No, the tall Japanese guy,” his son replied.

 

“He means junkie, Dad,” this came from Bazz who was laying on the couch in Aizen's office. "Creepy faced, tall guy? Smacked his head on the door?"

 

The older man's eyes narrowed for a moment. He had to think back to who that was. He vaguely remembered ordering a junkie's death, then it hit him. “Gilga? That was a while ago. He didn't exactly fuck me over. He crossed an associate of mine. I was just laundering money for the man. I didn't have a hand in that business.”

 

“A technicality.”

 

“Call it what you want. You said you had another matter you wanted to discuss,” Aizen stated. “I'd like to get on with my schedule, so please state your business and then see yourself out.”

 

“I need resources,” Tsukishima said, in a cold tone.

 

Aizen was slightly surprised by his son's voice. He could see Bazz's head rise over the back of the couch, only his mohawk and green eyes were seen. For Tsukishima to talk to him like that he must have felt confident. “You do? For what purpose,” Aizen said.

 

“I have a project that I would like to complete,” the young man replied.

 

“A project? Would you care to tell me more about this?” Aizen asked, but his son was silent. The bespectacled man turned his attention to his other son. “Bazz?”

 

The mohawk and green eyes fell from view. “Bazzard,” came Aizen's voice; his tone was sharp.

 

“Don't know a damn thing,” Bazz replied.

 

“You're a horrible liar, Bazz. If he's not going to tell me, then you will.”

 

“He will not say anything, Father. There are two women I have my eye on,” Tsukishima finally said. “If you do not want to invest in my business venture, you could at least invest in this.”

 

* * *

 

A man with shoulder length pink hair wearing glasses and another man with blond hair wearing an eyepatch stood in front of a metal table in an old warehouse on the outskirts of Utsunomiya. Bazz and Tsukishima were also there, along with several small-time thugs that Bazz didn't know. Those assholes were guarding the building. This was their new headquarters for what Tsukishima wanted to do.

  
His father said they would be disposable troops.

 

Tsukishima laid two folders on the table.

 

Each man picked up a folder and glanced at the contents. Tesla Lindocruz and Szayel Granz stared at the profiles and pictures of the women. They both glanced at each other.

 

“We can take the redhead,” Telsa said, laying down the folder.

 

“We refuse to have anything to do with the other one.”

 

“Any reason why you're refusing the job?”

 

“We're not refusing the job. We just simply refuse to deal with Nelliel Tu,” the man with pink hair said in a disgustingly sweet and polite tone.

 

Bazz narrowed his eyes, “Why won't you grab her?”

 

“She was our friend's girlfriend.

 

"Who?"

 

"Nnoitra Gilga.”

 

“That prick is dead and gone,” Bazz said through gritted teeth. “If you two won't grab both of them, then we don't need you. We could do this ourselves and not have to pay some snot-nosed, small-time thugs. Don't tell me you guys feel some loyalty towards him?”

 

The blond man shifted uncomfortably. Szayel merely pushed his white framed glasses higher on his face.

 

Tsukishima merely gave a small smirk. “Bazz, it's fine. They can grab the redhead. They'll be the ones the police go after when we release her.”

 

“Wait a minute,” Tesla said, holding up a hand. “What do you mean?”

 

“Pardon?” Tsukishima asked. He stood there with a smirk on his face.

 

It was Szayel who answered. “Don't mind him. Please, give us the details that we need.”

 

“That's more like it! Now, the first part of the plan is to...” Bazz said with glee.

 

* * *

 

Ulquiorra was sitting at his desk, lost in thought when Orihime burst through his door. She was holding a bouquet of flowers and looked radiant. “Ulquiorra, you didn't have to do this!” she said smiling.

 

“Huh?” He turned and looked at her. He was confused as to what she was talking about.

 

“Don't play dumb! I know you sent these to Candy Ink today. Grimmjow even sent Nel flowers,” she replied. She walked over to him and kissed his cheek. It made his brow furrow. Grimmjow would never send Nel flowers, he thought.

 

“Woman, I have no clue what you're talking about,” he stated to her, concern laced his voice. “If I am going to buy you flowers then I will buy and deliver them myself.”

 

“What? You mean these didn't come from you?” The redhead looked crestfallen. “But the card! The card said something you would say!”

 

“Orihime, I didn't buy you flowers. Where's the card?” He asked. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out the small envelope and handed it to him. He grabbed it and pulled the card out. “It just says Woman, I know and signed with four.”

 

The redhead's bottom lip trembled. Orihime looked truly upset now. “Are you sure you didn't get them for me? Maybe you forgot?”

 

He shook his head. “Woman, who delivered the flowers?”

 

She opened her mouth to speak, but they were interrupted by people yelling.

 

“ _WHERE'D YOU GET THOSE FLOWERS?_ ” Grimmjow yelled.

 

He turned his head then stood. “You said Nel got flowers today too?”

 

“Yeah, she was really surprised because Grimmjow has never bought her flowers. She kind of looked unhappy, well more like distraught. I tried to talk to her about it, but she wouldn't say anything.”

 

"She wouldn't," he said. Ulquiorra walked out of his room and down the hall to the entertainment room where the yelling was coming from. Orihime followed him closely.

 

“If you got them for me, why would you put a number three on the fucking card, Grimm? This isn't funny!” Nel screamed at the blue-haired man who was standing in front of her. Ulquiorra would have said his stance was menacing because Grimmjow looked livid and his fists were curled.

 

“I didn't get you fucking flowers, Nel!” he yelled back. “I know he used to bring you flowers. I would get you a new DVD or movie tickets before I'd buy you flowers! I'd bring you coffee and beer before I would buy you flowers! I would write you an original song or get Ulquiorra to draw me something for you before I would buy flowers! I'd bring you doughnuts and Orihime's cooking before I'd get you fucking flowers!”

 

The redhead huffed behind him, and Ulquiorra cleared his throat. “She's not the only one that got flowers, Grimmjow.”

 

His friend's blue head snapped up. Ulquiorra stepped into the room, pulling Orihime behind him. He grabbed her wrist and held up the hand that had the bouquet in it. “What does Nel's card say? Is it the same handwriting as Orihime's?”

 

Nel turned around and glared at the dark-haired man. Ulquiorra would say that she looked terrified. She held the card out to him, and he took it. “It says Soon and signed with a three,” Ulquiorra said.

 

He studied both cards carefully, but the handwriting appeared to be the same. Why would someone send the girls flowers and sign the cards with the numbers they had tattooed on them? He looked at Grimmjow.

 

“Grimmjow take off your shirt.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

Ulquiorra sighed. He had never seen all of Grimmjow's tattoo. It was entirely possible that maybe the man had something on him that would give him a clue. “I want to look at your body... More specifically your tattoos.”

 

The blue-haired man grumbled, but he did it. The t-shirt he had on was off of his body in no time flat and was thrown to the floor. “What are you looking for?”

 

“Turn around,” Ulquiorra commanded in a monotone voice. His eyes roamed over the man's muscled back looking for something that would explain why there was a three and a four signed to the cards. He poked a spot above Grimmjow's right kidney would be. “Why do you have a six tattooed on you?”

 

Grimmjow pivoted and crossed his arms over his chest. “I dunno. You have a four tattooed on you. She has a three. I figured I'd tattoo a number on me too.”

 

“So, for shits and giggles, you got a six tattooed on you? It has no meaning at all?” Ulquiorra questioned.

 

“C'mon man.”

 

“I know why Nel has that number on her back,” the man with the dark hair said. “I know why I have a four tattooed on myself.”

 

“You've never really explained that,” Grimmjow pointed out. “Don't tell me that bullshit about it's your favorite number.”

 

“Why the six?”

 

The blue haired man scoffed and looked away from the three people. “Do I make you justify all your artwork? Why the four? Why the black hole? Why the green tear streaks? Why the fucking creepy ass bat?”

 

“Leave Murcielago alone!” Orihime said.

 

“What?” came the question from three adults.

 

  
“Oh, um, I named Ulquiorra's bat tattoo. He has a Spanish name, so I gave the bat a Spanish name,” Orihime said looking uncomfortable. Her face was getting red.

 

Ulquiorra looked at the redhead quizzically. It was disgustingly cute what she had done, but he resisted from smiling. He couldn't but ask though. “You named my bat?”

 

“We are getting off track here,” Nel commented. “Someone sent us flowers today. These cards are signed with numbers. Grimmjow, Ulquiorra and I have numbers tattooed on our bodies... Orihime, you don't have any tattoos do you?”

 

“Me? No!” She replied.

 

“You should strip so we can double che—OWW!” Nel punched Grimmjow in the stomach.

 

“Nel, your three has emotional significance, right? You got it to symbolize the year we met you, more specifically Nnoitra.” Ulquiorra stated. He watched as Nel nodded. “My four is meant to symbolize death. I know I've said four is my favorite number but I basically got it to represent that. Why the six, Grimmjow?”

 

“Nel didn't ask questions while she was inking it.”

 

“I've always been curious about it, though.”

 

Grimmjow sighed. Ulquiorra could tell it was going to be hard for him to talk about. “It has two meanings. I figured since you guys were being cryptic with your memories, I could too. I had just turned six years old when I met Ulquiorra and our sixth year in school was like one of the best. When I saw Nel and Ulquiorra's numbers, I figured I'd get it.”

 

“This is really creepy,” Nel murmured. “I don't think this is a coincidence. This is happening too close too...”

 

Did Nnoitra have anything to do with this? No, he couldn't have; he'd been dead for a while now. Ulquiorra sighed. This was odd. Nel was right; it wasn't by chance that these women showed up with flowers with veiled messages. What did each card mean? Who knew about their tattoos? Ulquiorra never showed his number tattoo. Nel's was only visible when she wore skimpy tops or nothing. Grimmjow's number would be covered by a t-shirt.

 

What if Aizen was behind this? What if Aizen knew he was still alive? What if he was somehow threatening them? If it was Aizen, they needed to do something. They needed help. “Nel?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“That man at the housewarming party, Zaraki, he said I must have been the kid that got shot and to have you take me to him.”

 

“Huh? What would he want with you?”

 

“Does Zaraki have affiliations that I should know of? It is rather curious that I meet him and suddenly we're getting messages,” Ulquiorra replied.

 

Nel's eyes shuffled from side to side. Her mouth moved, but she spoke to low for him to hear a word. “Nelliel, answer me,” the dark-haired man demanded.

 

“Hey, you can't—” Grimmjow said but Ulquiorra turned his gaze to the man, and he quickly shut up.

 

“Is he affiliated with the Yakuza?”

 

“What?” Grimmjow said with a bark of laughter. “Kenpachi involved with a gang? Are you kidding me? What are you thinking Ulquiorra?”

 

Nel shook her head in response to the green-eyed man's question. “Not quite. I can't tell you the details. You're going to have to speak to him though.”

 

* * *

 

Nel felt awful. She had caught an end of the summer flu or something because she hadn't been able to hold down food in the past two weeks. The mornings were always the worst, but she felt better in the afternoon. She knew that Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were worried about her. Orihime seemed the most concerned, bringing her tea and wiping her face with a cloth.

 

She had just dropped the men off at Kenpachi's dojo. She was on her way to the clinic. Nel was just really exhausted, and she wanted to get some medicine for whatever was ailing her. She was ushered into a room where the nurse examined her.

 

The older woman ordered Nel to go pee in a cup. The teal-haired woman wrinkled her nose. What purpose did that have? The nurse explained. They needed to conduct some test and would also be taking blood from Nel. So, she did as they said.

 

Time seemed to go by slowly as she waited. What could be taking so long?

 

* * *

 

Grimmjow could describe his mood as skittish as he stood in Kenpachi's office. Ulquiorra was standing beside him but absolutely still.

 

“Boys, don't be so nervous,” Kenpachi said. The big man gestured for them to sit down. “You two have certainly changed since the last time you stepped foot into here.”

 

“We don't have time to exchange pleasantries,” Ulquiorra said. Grimmjow glanced at his friend. The guy must have thought he had some pretty big balls to talk to Kenpachi like that.

 

“You don't, well, well. Why are you here—Ulquiorra Cifer, isn't it?”

 

The blue-haired man took a deep breath and held it, waiting for Ulquiorra's response. He knew this was going to be horrible, but he hadn't imagined it would be this difficult to sit in that office across from that man.

 

“Are you affiliated with the Yakuza?”

 

“What are you doing, Ulquiorra? You just can't ask questions like that!” Grimmjow said in a shocked voice.

 

“Grimmjow, shut up,” Kenpachi said with his arms crossed over his chest. “What gave you an idea like that?”

 

“I find it funny that I met you at our housewarming party and then the next thing I know, our women are getting flowers and hidden messages. I want to know; are you affiliated with the Yakuza?”

 

The big man raised an eyebrow. “You're not making sense, kid. I knew who you were before that party. I just like having fun with people. But you accusing me of having ties to a gang crosses the line. Why would I send your women flowers and messages? If I have anything to say to Nel, I'll tell her to her face.”

 

“I have my suspicions.”

 

“What? Do you think I would let Aizen know you're still alive?” Kenpachi asked with a smirk on his face.

 

Grimmjow opened his mouth, “What do you mean?”

 

Kenpachi's eyes looked at Grimmjow for a moment. “Aizen probably thinks that Cifer is dead. After all, he got shot and was probably on the ground, bleeding. You should know; you were there. His men didn't execute him, but they left him for dead.”

 

“How do you know Aizen?”

 

“Let me tell you something, boy,” Kenpachi said, directing his gaze to Ulquiorra. “There are different kinds of Yakuza. There are good ones. There are neutral ones. There are bad ones. Aizen is a bad one. His organization does the killings and the bad things you see on television. I'm one of the good ones. I'm the one that sends aid to people when something goes wrong. I'm the one that helps protect people. Sure, I might have a gambling hall or two. I might set up fight nights. I don't involve myself or my men in human trafficking, drugs, or death. That's the rumors circulating that Aizen is gravitating towards other means of prosperity.”

 

Ulquiorra took two pieces of paper out of an envelope and put them on the big man's desk. “What conclusion would gather from these?”

 

Grimmjow watched as Kenpachi leaned over and took a look at the cards that came with the flowers.

  
  
“It's hard to say. If you look at the word soon on this card, you can tell it's written as if someone meant something else. The last letter is stressed. Is this card really signed with a three or an N?”

 

The blue-haired man gasped. N? N as in Nnoitra? Or N as in Nelliel? Nnoitra had brought Nel flowers when he was trying to win her affections. Grimmjow would see them and she would tell him that he gave it to her. It was what made him assume that Nnoitra had a change of heart.

 

“I can see what you're thinking, Grimmjow,” Kenpachi said, drawing him out of his thoughts. “N, which one is it for? It might even be Aizen. Aiz-en. The three is tricky. I know Nel has a gigantic three tattooed on her back.”

 

Kenpachi frowned. “This other one. 'Woman, I know.' The four is written as death. Shi. Any significance to you?”

 

“I call Orihime, Woman. I have a four tattooed on me. The numeral, not the word.”

 

* * *

 

Orihime was sitting in her class, daydreaming. The teacher was droning on about something, and she couldn't help think about the people she lived with. It put a smile on her face.

 

She wouldn't know what to do if she didn't have the two men and the other woman there. Her life would be mundane. She probably wouldn't know so much about sex. She definitely wouldn't have gotten the piercings. Orihime would have pined after Ichigo. He would have ignored her. Uryu probably would have pursued her.

 

A memory came through her thoughts. Rangiku was talking to her. It was right after Ulquiorra had come back to life. They were sitting at the front counter. Rangiku was visiting with her baby. Orihime held the infant tenderly. He was named Gin after some guy she loved with in the past. Her boyfriend, Shuhei, hadn't been happy with the choice.

 

“Doll,” Rangiku said. “You know, they say the best relationships are ones you don't expect to be in; the ones you aren't looking for; the ones you never saw coming. I thought what I had with Gin would last forever.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“We just grew apart. The memories I have of him are only good ones. Those are the only ones I kept because I think he had other reasons for doing what he did,” the blonde answered. She smiled fondly at her son. “The greatest relationships are the ones that sweep you off your feel and challenge every view you have. Shuhei he does that for me.”

 

Orihime remembered smiling at Rangiku and handing the infant back over to her. She hardly ever talked about her former love much. It was a rare occasion when she did though.

 

“Why are you smiling?” a voice said.

 

The redhead looked up, and her eyes automatically focused on the tall, lanky man with wavy dark hair and brown eyes. He had a small smirk on his face. Her eyes grew wide with fear. It was—No, it wasn't Bazz; that guy had red hair and a mohawk. Why couldn't she remember this man's name?

 

“I don't think that's any of your business,” she replied. “What are you doing here?”

 

The guy looked around, “Well, seeing as the class is over, I was leaving. You seemed lost in thought.”

 

Orihime's eyes did a quick scan of the room. It was empty save for her and him. He was still smiling at her. She didn't like it. His eyes were cold but at the same time held warmth. She didn't understand how someone could appear like that. “You don't have to bother me. In fact, I would like it if you never addressed me again.”

 

She stood up and gathered her things, while he just stood there with his hands in his pockets.

 

“I would be careful, Miss Inoue. You never know who might find out your secrets.”

 

Her eyes went wide, and she watched the man walk away. The name came from her lips; she only meant to say it to herself, but she actually voiced it. “Tsukishima.”

 

He stopped and turned his head, looking back at her over his shoulder. The smirk appeared wider and then he was out of the room.

 

* * *

 

The doctor walked into the room she was in. He held a piece of paper and looked worried. “Miss Tu?”

 

“Yes?” Nel said as she stopped her trek across the floor. She could feel her face freeze in a concerned expression. “Is it that bad? Am I going to need multiple rounds of medication? Do I need a lot of antibiotics?”

 

“I'm sorry, no,” the doctor said. “But, I'm curious to know if you've taken any antibiotics in the last four months. Perhaps, you've visited another clinic or doctor?”

 

Nel shook her head. “No,” she said quietly.

 

“You are on birth control, correct?”

 

“I was but—I lost them in the move. We moved to a new place and—” Nel stopped because she didn't like the doctors face. “Why do you want to know about antibiotics and birth control?”

 

“When you take antibiotics while on birth control, it negates the effects of the birth control,” the doctor explained. “You're pregnant.”

 

Her hazel eyes blinked several times. “Pardon me?”

 

Nel felt her knees become weak and she collapsed into the chair she had been sitting in before she had started pacing the floor. That was impossible. There was no way...

 

The doctor handed her the piece of paper and started explaining what the different terms on the sheet meant. She stared down at the paper she held in her hands. She then looked back at the doctor. Her hazel eyes went wide. She couldn't comprehend what the man had said. Her brain refused to believe what it told her.

 

How was she going to...? What would Grimmjow say? How had this happened? Ulquiorra would—Her mind raced. How many times had she had unprotected sex? Every time with Grimmjow. Maybe once or twice with Ulquiorra? She quickly did the math. There was no way she could have miscounted her cycle. What the fuck?

 

Her entire body had frozen. The doctor had said—Holy shit. Orihime. Nel felt her eyes widen even more. She felt like they were going to pop out of her head with this realization.

 

“Miss Tu, congratulations.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jason walker - Down  
> A Fine Frenzy - Almost Lover  
> Go Radio - Why I'm Home  
> Metallica - NOthing Else Matters  
> Hawthorne Heights - Ohio Is For Lovers (Acoustic)  
> Lauren Aquilina - Forest Fires  
> Madonna - Secret  
> Aselin Debison - Once In Every Life  
> Auburn - Perfect Two  
> David Grey - Please Forgive Me  
> Andy Black - Put The Gun Down  
> Betoko - Raining Again (Original Mix)  
> James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go  
> Blue October - Congratulations


End file.
